PSU, AOTI: Lands of War
by Rayokarna-Blaise aXcess
Summary: Welcome to the world of Phantasy Star Universe in the eyes of an everyday Guardian...Rayokarna aXcess. All characters in this game are either in Story Mode characters and other various online players. Check my profile for character pictures.
1. Introduction Chapter 1

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Prologue Chapter

Howzer walked slowly around his desk to meet the two Guardians opposing him...

"My children are contaminating the system, choking the flow of life and destroying the land and structure of what once was. After what you see lying around you, you seriously think that you can defeat me?" A small smirk appeared on his wrinkled features. He took a few steps towards the two Guardians that forced them to raise their weapons.

"What do you have to prove Howzer?" Rayokarna said while slamming his Axe into the ground emphasising his anger. This made the smile on Howzer's bigger.

"You seriously think that some on like you can over throw me?" Sierra almost crushed the holder for her whip in her iron grip and took a step forward.

"I will never give your dead carcass a second look once I decapitate that head from it and hang it in my room. I will never forgive you for almost making me kill my best friend after all we have been through." Sierra said in a dark tone narrowing her eyes in a deathly glow of vivid anger. Howzer slowly approached them causing Rayo and Sierra to back up a bit.

"Your time of judgment is here. There is no support for you, no help from allies, just skill and your desire for survival." Howzer raised his right arm in a stopping action but yet nothing happened then Sierra's eyes widen in realisation.

"Rayo! Take Cover!" Sierra tried to jump back but it was too late. The unstable wave of unstable nuclear photonic energy hit both her and her partner knocking them off their feet and throwing them a few metres from where they were standing. Sierra looked to her partner to see that he was pinned slightly to the floor due to the weight of his weapon. Sierra struggled to move as her body didn't respond to her command. Howzer was pacing slowly at a extremely dangerous rate.

"Shit..." Was the only thing Sierra could say in her defence. Howzer was only inches away from her prone body and placed his hand millimetres from her face.

"Time to take back what's mine..." Rayo tried to move but could only scream her name.

"Sierra!"

"Sierra!"

"Sierra!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

Then from there it all went blank...

...

...

...*Beep Beep*...

...*Beep Beep*...

...Sierra turned over slamming her fist into her PM's arm causing a yelp of pain to the little butler standing over her.

"It's time for you to be up Miss Sierra." Sierra raised her head from her pillow and looked at her PM Alfred with eyes of aggravation. Alfred just nodded and smiled out of nervousness, it was just something the little PM couldn't get used to. Sierra sighed out of the slightly upset expression and looked at her PM in a softer tone.

"What's on the agenda today, Alfred?" The PM physically relaxed.

"You were supposed to meet Master Rayokarna aXcess and Mr Rickochet Blitza for morning breakfast." Sierra looked at her clock on her Vision Phone, she need about 20 minutes to get ready. She smiled to herself at knowing she was going to meet one of her closest friends. With a nod of appreciation, Alfred decided to leave her master in peace and let her get ready.

"That was some weird dream..." The Newman told herself, raising herself from her bed while throwing over the covers shows her physique. Being taller than the average female, she had long black hair that flows like water and blood red eyes that looked calming at first but fierce when angered. She dragged her self slowly to her common box and shuffled through the touch display to her box. Picking an outfit to wear, she placed the data for it into her Nano-transform and walked slowly to her changing room.


	2. EP 1: Chapter 1: PreNotion

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 1: The Relinquished and the Requiem  
Chapter 1: Pre-Notion

"Sierra is running a little late today..." Rayokarna told himself as Rickochet was buttering his toast. Blitza looked up at him with a light smile.

"Cheer up, she's fine. She is strong and powerful and what not." Blitza comforted. Rayokarna gave a slight nod before taking another sip from his tea. "Rayo..." Rayokarna looked up at him to see what was up.

"Hmm?"

"How do CASTs have tea anyway? Doesn't it short circuit you insides or something?" Rayokarna laughed lightly.

"You ignorance is excellent, you know that?" Blitza looked at him confused.

"I don't get it?" Rayo took of his glasses steamed them with his artificial breath and wiped it clean with his formal wear dress.

"Well, a lot of my insides are synthetic. All of these body features all emulate someone that has a real living body. But for obvious reasons, I can't get the diseases that come with em. Plus, it makes me more durable in dangerous situations." Rayo smirked. Blitza laughed back at what Rayo was implying.

"But I have Nano-blast." Blitza said simply but Rayo's smirk didn't waver.

"Doesn't help from preventing a heart attack." Blitza just looked down at his plate from defeat. Only after a split second later, the winds of the room changed when there was a release of air as the locks of the door opened to reveal a visitor. Rayo turned from his dining table to see his PM answer to who it is.

"Oh, hello Sierra." The cheerful PM called out to her delightfully. Regardless of whatever Sierra was feeling, the attitude of Rayo's PM always made her feel better. Sierra crouched down to her height to speak to the PM directly.

"Oh hey there Sun. How have been?" She ruffled the PM's hair lightly causing the PM to fidget out of her grasp.

"Hey stop it! I've been fine Sierra, and watch the hair." Temperance Sun replied as she beamed at the much taller Newman. Sierra smiled back as she stood up and walked towards the main room to meet the two that she will more than likely spend the day with today.

"Hiya guys." The Newman greeted as the other two as they looked up at her.

"Hey Sierra"

"Hey Sie" The male CAST smiled at his long haired friend as their eyes lock into each other. This was their way of seeing what the other is thinking however their thought reading was broken by the beast that was with them.

"So what's on the plan today?" Blitza interrupted, this caused both Rayo and Sierra to flinch. The CAST raised himself from his seat and allow himself to stretch. His facial features are of a man in his late twenties from a Caribbean like background with the low hair cut with the zigzag pattern across the back of his head. Blitza also excused himself from the table while stretching too. The dark skinned beast had blue hair with the tougher look on his face; he also had the same hair style too.

"Well, I don't think we have anything..." The small PM walked into the room interrupting him.

"Rayo, President Laia Martinez is on Vision Phone for you..." Rayo almost acted immediately as he walked towards the one opposite his bed. He pressed a few buttons on the main console then when the touch display came on and selected 'Answer Call' which instantly made a wireless connection to the ear piece he had on. On screen a picture of Laia appeared...

"Hey Laia, what's up?" The frustrated look on Laia face didn't faze at all.

"Rayo! You're needed on the 5th floor with your team if you can round them up. This is urgent, you have about 10 minutes so make sure your up there, I'm counting on you..." Laia ordered. Rayo's face showed a sign of confusion.

"So what's it about?" Laia's face let of a hint of anger...

"Just get up here, Laia out." And that the Vision Phone screen shut off. Rayo turned to his two friends that were watching at a distance. Rayo just sighed.

"I guess we're going to the 5th floor. She didn't tell me to get ready for battle or anything so I'm going like this." Both Sierra and Blitza both nodded.

"I don't see why not." Sierra told him as wore a pair of pink Hanaura Bottoms and navy Storia Jacket. Blitza just nodded to agree as he was wearing a red Necnec Vest and blue Kusatarika Pants.

-**5****th**** Floor Clyez City**-

Once to the 5th floor, the group of three were then hit by a huge crowd of people, must of been about 30 people or so. The group slowly made their way through the crowd until they bumped into two familiar faces...

"Hey watch it...oh hi Ray." The small CAST girl looked up at him. Ray looked down and smiled at who it was. It was the two of Ryn, a small CAST girl and her hunting friend Koji, a small black haired, fair skinned human male.

"What are you two doing here?" Rayo asked the two. Ryn ruffled her feet under his gaze and looked up at him.

"I and Koji were told to get here by Laia for some reason. Didn't give us any reasons why though..." Rayo just shook his head.

"I guess that's why me, Blitza and Sierra are here." Ryn and Koji turned to look behind his shoulder to see both Blitza and Sierra.

"Oh, hey there Sierra."

"Hi Ryn." Ryn was just about to as something until she heard a voice through the speakers of the headquarters of the Guardians. Everybody turned to see Laia standing on top of the main registration desk with a slightly flustered Mina cowering behind her.

"To all Guardians brought here today, we have a major preparation for the fight against the Illuminous and everyone allied with them. But they have plans of their own and have already put them under way. The reason I have gathered so many of you in one place cause it's gonna take all of use to bring them down step by step. This war is like a game of chess that will be won by each side taking on step at a time to achieve victory." Laia took a second to clear her throat.

"Until now we have not made our move but we have to strike now. The area we have in sight is the very far west Kugu Desert in which the fortress of the Illuminous lie that has a concealed research plant that works with altering biological data. They have brain washed the native creatures and made them create a formation around the fortress. We need everybody in the teams that we assign you too to get the job done." Small chatter was started amongst the group about being separated.

"Because of the barrier of unstable photonic particles surrounding the area, the amount of stuff carried in your Nano-transformer has been reduced." Gasps came from the crowd of Guardians that were shocked they could pull off a thing like that.

"How the fuck do you do that?" Rayo whispers lightly enough so only Sierra hears. She shakes her head as a reply.

"We will have G Flyers that will transport personal weapon creates to the mission base so we will be able to access them there. We advise the remaining space of you transformer to use for your Armour, Items, clothes and anything you find on field. Now, let's have hush while I read out the teams." Rayo turned around to Sierra and Blitza to see now the silver haired female CAST Noxia and Scejntynahl, the CAST blue haired Protranser who is also a part of Rayo main team, now standing with his group. Noxia gave a small wave while smiling and Sen nodded as a sigh of acknowledgement.

"Let's hope were all in this together." Sen said as pointed her gaze towards Rayo who only nodded in agreement.


	3. EP 1: Chapter 2: Ripple in the Sand

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 1: The Relinquished and the Requiem

Chapter 2: A Ripple in Fine Sand

As Laia began to read the lists of names from her piece of paper, the air of tension began to increase due to people not wanting to be separated from their friends. As Laia read out the names the crowd's chatters started to increase in volume. It seems the teams that were separated into squads and what they could do. A more important name came up as Rayo and the group recognised it completely.

"Sniper Squad, Scejntynahl..." Laia called. We all turned to see Sen's facial expression; it was nothing short of disappointing. Sen just shook her head.

"Well, this was seen from a mile off, we were bound to get separated." Sen expressed. The group could do nothing but agree.

"...Noxia..." Laia called out, Sen turned to Noxia who had a slight smile on her face. They nodded to each other.

"At least I won't be alone." Sen said to her, Noxia nodded and mouthed an 'I know' as a reply.

"Paired Clearance side assault..." Laia called of the crowd of Guardians her voice faded again as she tried to read down the list. "...Ryn and Koji..." Laia called out again. You could clearly hear the small duo cheer over the crowd. Then after few more names, Laia stopped reading. "Now that you have your groups, you will need to assign your travelling buddies for the transport trip for Kugu area at the Vector Tracks help lady desks. You have about four hours to get yourself ready from being away for a few days with your registered weapons on you assigned create. Now get out of here!" Laia shouted making all the other Guardians scatter and disappear in seconds. Rayo looked at her as she jumped off the desk in confusion. He shook his head and was about to turn around until he heard his name being called.

"Rayo, just the person I was looking for..." Laia said walking up to them. Rayo turned and bowed slightly knowing it was the president.

"How come my name wasn't called?" Rayo asked, this brought a slight chuckle from Laia before she stopped and put a serious face on.

"I trust you and your team with the biggest task of them all. It seems that there is a part of the fortress that is weak to explosions. As the main stream Protranser you are, I'm giving you the explosives to plant at the sight. The monster hordes guarding the place are most dangerous around that area. I'm sending you and your team to go in and place it and leave the area as quickly as possible. You will have snipers and other members of the Guardians helping you at that point. Are you up for it?" Laia looked directly at him searching for an answer that is defiantly a yes. Ray nodded slightly.

"Good, your team list is: Rayokarna aXcess, Sierra, Rickochet Blitza, and Red Ghost." Rayo looked at her dumbfound...

"Did you just say Red Ghost?" Laia was just about to reply when a voice was heard behind them.

"Did someone just say my name?" A medium sized red long haired CAST with black and white parts walked in. Her aura almost demanded authority. Laia turned towards her with face of questioning.

"You know about the brief?" Red nodded silently. Laia sighed in a way where its shows she has been working overtime. "Alright, you lot are dismissed except for Rayo, I have one more word with you." All of the others began to walk of chatting amongst themselves before leaving, the Laia turned to him.

"You have a separate mission within the one you have now with Eugenic." I looked at her shocked...

"What, she's only just returned, isn't this a little extreme?" Laia began pacing in front of him.

"When you get off the floaders, I would want you to take her to a safe look out to spot to have her keep watch for you. Being where you are won't be able to see everything in the area." Rayo nodded.

"Does Eugy know?" Rayo asked, this brought a smirk to Laia face.

"Yep, she's been dying to speak to you about it." Laia took a step to the side to reveal the short female CAST Eugenic. Her purple hair with wide, round glasses hid her somewhat intelligent and yet reverse mind. Wearing the; Gimneal Arms CV, Amorel Torso CV and the Bacolne Legs, in the basic black and white colours. She gave a slight bow as she saw her current 'teacher'.

"Hey Senpai!" She said while bowing her head slightly in respect. Rayo nodded back and smiled.

"Hey Eugy, it seems that you're watching my back today. What a reverse of roles." The both laughed amongst themselves. Laia coughed interrupting them.

"The reunion is all well and good but you both have to assign your weapons and stuff. Please get that done, you have about 3 hours or so." Laia concluded. The two CASTs turned to walk away. They took a few steps until Laia choose to speak again. "And remember, bring your A game." The two Guardians nodded and walked off to get there stuff.

**-Rayokarna aXcess's Room-**

"So Rayo, what you bringing?" Sierra asked him. She decided to bring everything to Rayo's room and pack together. Sierra was sat with her knees hugging to her chest. Her create lied parallel with Rayo's as she almost finished packing.

"Well, I'm taking my Wartecher and Fighgunner stuff just in case Protranser won't cut it." Sierra moved over to his create and looked inside.

"Woah, you have everything in here." She began to rummage through the giant box and awed at what she saw. She pulled out a large, feathery blue bow. "You're bringing the Hirokteri and the Rikauteri?" Rayokarna smiled.

"Yeah, I don't see why not." Sierra just laughed as she placed the bow into the box and went to sit back down again...

-Three Hours Later/West Kugu Desert-

As the G Flyer landed with a muted thump, the electronic stairwell, free fell to the ground from the underside of the ship. From the flyer, Blitza was the first on to emerge from the blue aircraft.

"Hot damn, it's quite hot here...'" He looked around at the base camp while using his hands to guard hit eyes from the harsh sunlight. Sierra was next to appear with a customised variation to the Casino set. This set used the bottoms of the Casino set but wore the Hanaura top instead with a pale brown hooded cloak. She herself guarded her eyes with her hands.

"It is a bit baking, even with what I'm wearing..." Sierra said as she took a few steps down the stairs of the flyer. Rayo finally stepped into the blazing sun of Moatoob; he shook his head to get all of the fine sand out of his optic systems.

"This is gonna be a long day..." He told himself as soon as he walked off the stair well.

As soon as they got within the base to look around, they were met face to face with Laia Martinez. Laia read the paper she had and faced towards the camps on the other side of the base.

"Rayokarna, Sierra, Rickochet and Scejntynahl. You four will be on the camp area on the far left hand side if you can see where I'm pointing. You people have about two hours to get ready for battle because you were on the last sets. Settle in quickly." Laia pointed towards a green dome shape structure which was just about taller than Sen and Blitza. As the four began to walk away, Sierra just remembered something.

"Where's our stuff?" Sierra asked flatly, Laia only smiled.

"It should be in your hut. If the photon chains were locked, we and you would have been alerted." Laia replied. Sierra only nodded and went to follow the rest of the group. Once in the dome that they have to call home for the next couple of days, the most typical statement came out in times like this...

"...This beds mine!" Blitza said amazingly quickly. Rayo just shook his head in defiance.

"Oh hell no...That's mine asshole."

After a few minutes of delegating whose bed is whose, Rayo went outside to see what was happening. After walking around all of the busy camp areas, he ran into a small dark haired human cleaning his swords.

"Hey Koji, what's been happening?" The human stopped wiping his Huge Cutter to look up at him; Koji gave Rayo a small smile before returning to wiping his swords.

"Nothing much, just making sure my tools is in top shape." Rayo nodded at the true statement.

"You psyched up for this?" Koji's smile grew a tad bigger.

"The chance at an easy way of kicking Vanda around...I'm in." Koji and Rayo both laughed until Koji changed to his Grand Cross pair and began to brush the sand out of the mini reactor.

"Anyway, I should get ready Koji..." As Rayo turned around but was stopped by the voice of the human.

"I have your back out there..." Koji just said.

"Thanks, I have yours too." With that Rayo walked back into his camping tent. As soon as he walked in he grabbed his Dragon shaped helmet and walked into the changing room. "Time to get this party stared..."

-At the Briefing-

The small crowd of Guardians chatted amongst themselves about what they need to do until the silhouette of Laia came into view, blocking the path of the sunlight due for the fact she was standing on an elevated rock.

"Guardians here today, this is by far one of the most important missions we have declared to date. We will need to work as a unit, an army and like one moving entity. Due to the resources and the scale of the plan at hand, we have assigned you to a specific job in terms of your class and abilities. This will allow you to only be carrying two or three weapons at a time, thus saving effort carrying them back and forth" Laia cleared her throat.

"The main plan of this objective it to protect the bomb squad until they get to the objective point. The bomb squad is only 4 people, and they will be the only ones who will see any major combat. The snipers will be at the western point lookout because there is a dead end canyon from the east. The enemy horde is mighty and will take no prisoners, so be on your highest guard." Laia turned over her piece of paper.

"Can I have the Assault Pairs at the western exit please?" With that, a large amount of the crowd all moved out towards the exit with their needed partner. Ryn walk past Rayo with Koji followed close behind but stopped as she caught sight of Rayo.

"Wish me luck out there." She cheered happily, Rayo shock his head.

"With you, you won't need luck." Ryn chuckled slightly.

"Thanks Ray." She said as she then dragged Koji to the exit.

"May I have the snipers at the north west exit?" Sen quickly pulled herself out of the group and went to the gathering of girls towards the North West exit. As Sen walked towards the group of female Guardians all holding either bows or rifles she saw the mute Noxia.

"Hey Noxia, hoping this goes well?" Sen asked. Noxia nodded with a smirk while bringing her Mizurakihoh into view. Sen laughed slightly until she was interrupted by her team leader.

"Alright ladies, we have a job to do. We need to protect those ass hats from dying, or not so much anyway." This brought a laugh from the group except from Sen, who was a bit disgusted.

"Excuse me but I know..." Her leader waved her hands and laughed slightly to defend herself.

"Before you get your circuits in a twist, I know Rayo and his people." Sen was taken back a bit but didn't show it.

"Name?"

"Oh, sorry for not introducing myself. My name is Scarlet Scarlet, firearms and Fortegunner extraordinaire." Scarlet extended her hand, Sen reluctantly took it.

"The name is Scejntynahl, greetings."

-North Point Exit-

"You five using the floaders should be able to get to the parameters of the hostile zone. From there you need to get there by foot so your floaders don't get damaged in combat." Laia walked them to their floaders. Laia patted Rayo on the back, and smiled at him. "Please come back in one piece." Rayo just nodded as he climbed on to his floader.

"Wait a minute, there's only four of them." Eugenic called out. Rayo patted the back part of his seat.

"You're riding with me. Come on lets go." With that everyone else mounted their respective floaders and jetted off into the distance.

-Unknown Location-

"Master Howzer, their moment has started. What should we do?" And average height male CAST said while bowing. The human behind his desk swivelled his chair to face the windows that showed the horizon.

"Let them make their way in, we have nothing to hide." The CAST was taken back slightly.

"But Master..."

"No buts, let them do as they please. Their ignorance will be their downfall." With that the CAST walked off...

-2 Minutes away from Hostile Point of West Kugu-

The four floaders sped through the desert wasteland of Kugu. In a square-like formation, with Blitza and Red Ghost at the front and Sierra and Rayo with Eugy on the back trailing they sped into towards the fortress access point. Red and Sierra's hair fluttered in the wind with the similar effect with Blitza's Vigor Coat as the speed began to pick up. Rayo brought up his internal map display to see that they were almost there. We increased his speed to overtake whoever was in front of him. As an entrance to a valley appeared before them, Rayo skidded to a halt, causing everyone behind him to do the same. The group dismounted there floaders and stood at the valley-way. Rayo turned to his group.

"Alright guys, here's the plan; we're going to make are way through this valley with force. And plant this bomb and get the fuck outta here." The group nodded. "Eugy, I need you to climb up that elevated part of land and keep a look out." Eugy nodded and raced off to her position. "Let's go people!" Rayo said as he drew his Ice Ank Zagza.

-With the Snipers-

"Ladies were in position, draw your weapons!" Scarlet called out as the team mounted their weapons on the rock ledge. They had a perfect view of the Vanda Merha and Orga forming a guard against the bomb squad coming up ahead. "Ladies turn to you right..." The group pivoted their weapons to face that direction. "...See that group of people..."

"Yeah!" They all exclaimed at once.

"Protecting the one that looks like a cross between a Samurai and a fridge is our top priority." The girls nodded. "Fire at will!" Then the girls turned to the enemy targets and prepared to rain down on them with a hail of photon.

-Rayo and the Group-

The team ran toward the group of Vanda that has formed in front of them. Rayo just shook his head, and turn to the team behind him. "Let's give them hell." With that the team charged at the Vandas.

At sight the enemy began to hurl countless balls of diga at the oncoming resistance. Sierra shuffled around one and ducked behind another before reaching a Merha and stabbing it in the head with her Ice Blackheart then ripped it out and let it stagger back a few steps before getting Coni to blast it with level 30 Rabarta causing it to blow up into pieces.

Blitza ran to a mob of four Merha's and used Gravity Dance to cause a vacuum and bring them all towards him. The Merha reared their head back and was about to breath fire but in a flash of light Rayo raced past them and picked up Blitza while laying a confuse trap in the process. The trap went off almost instantly and the four Merha set themselves on fire and began hurling diga at each other. Rayo put Blitza down and nodded to him. Blitza putting his Electric Sweet Death away on his back and pulling out an Electric Soda Joggi while Rayo took out his Ank Zagza from behind him and they charged at the mob and hammered them down until they all met there end.

Red Ghost danced between the sets of fireballs that were being sent her way until they decided to charge her down. Red Ghost saw this one coming and knocked them all down with Tornado Dance with her Dark Carriguine-Rucar and sent them all flying against the wall. Red smiled inside knowing she had them exactly where she wanted them. Taking a moment to internally change her Photon Art attack, she charged down the recovering Vanda Orgas and Absolute Danced them to hell.

There was one remaining Merha left and looked around to see if it had back up but saw everything around him was gone.

"Who wants him?" Rayo asked everyone, Sierra stepped out without a word and walked towards with a stare that can turn a anything to stone. "Fair enough" Rayo whispered quietly.

The Merha threw diga in self defence but all Sierra did was move her head to the side and let the diga fly over her shoulder. As Sierra got within whip range, she threw it out so the Ice Vish Adac so it wrapped around the Merha's neck and pulled on it so the Vanda was forced to spin. Sierra ran towards it, whipped out her Ice Blackheart and swung at the dazed Vanda.

"Spinning Strike!" She shouted as she Just Attacked then flipped into the air and land with a strike to the chest and then flipped again and crashed her head against the skull of the Merha. She performed another Just Attack and gave it a flurry of strikes. The Vanda looked like it's about to recover but Sierra leaped into the air and thrust both her feet into the head of the enemy with thunderous drop kick sending it flying into the wall. While the Vanda slowly slid down the wall, Sierra's Coni finished the move off by covering that whole two meters of battle field in Dambarta, wiping the Vanda out.

The group of four walk on a bit until the saw the point of target they need to take down. The surface of the target was a smooth section of the wall on the rock face. But in front of them, it was hordes of Vandas and other native Moatoob enemies except for Bil De Vears. Rayo just laughed nervously.

"This is gonna be a long day..." He said as he drew his Crimson and Viper from his waste. They were about to charge until Sierra stopped them.

"What's wrong Sierra" Red asked her, Sierra just pointed to the sky. Like a vicious hail storm, photonic bullets, coloured like the rain bow rained from the sky and began to decimate the enemy. Monsters were falling left, right and centre. The group looked from where this was all coming from, seeing the ladies on the ridge firing at their targets. Rayo waved at them from the ground and the snipers happily waved back except for Sen who only smiled through the scope attached to her Kohibumiteri.

"Now's our chance." Rayo said as he dragged Sierra through the crowd being hit with Guardian sniper force. Red and Blitza snapped out of their dazed quickly and followed them through the horde.

With the horde concentrating on the pelting their getting from the snipers, Rayo and his team reach the rock face. Running through what's left of his Nano-transformer, and brought up the Enhanced Photon Wave bomb and placed it on the wall. The mechanised bomb automatically drilled itself into the wall. A password word screen came up...

"Guys, this gonna take a few minutes, kill everything that moves in the time being." The group nodded and separated. Giving Rayo some time to himself, he turned on his communicator...

"Eugy can you see me?" Eugy nodded from her post.

"Why, what's up?"

"With them killing things, I need someone to watch my back personally."

"Oh..."

"Eugy, shoot the wall next to me so I know you have my back..." Eugy took aim with her bow and fired it a break neck speed. The photonic bullet hit the wall so hard it left several cracks where it landed.

"Good enough for you?"

"What the hell did you do to that thing?" Rayo said surprised.

"Ulteri grinded to 10 is a power to be reckoned with." She said as she took aim again. Rayo just finished punching in the passwords for the EPW bomb and stood up. When he turned around, Red Ghost was just finishing off the last Vanda.

"Job done, let's get out of here..." Rayo got and walked towards his group. Sierra nodded with a smile on her face.

"Good, let's go...." Sierra said as they began to run toward the floaders. While they were running, Sierra could sense the ground was shaking. "Guys, can you feel that?" Red looked at her confused...

"Feel what?"

*THUMP!*

"That!?" Blitza turned to her slightly scared.

"Yeah..." Rayo turn on his communicator...

"Eugy, can you see anything" Eugenic looked through her goggles and scanned the area.

"I don't see any...holy Jesus..." Rayo felt a chill down his spine...

"What is it Eugy?" Rayo said extremely slowly.

"Run and don't turn back." Blitza tapped Rayo on his back.

"What is it?"

"I think you should see this..." Blitza said quietly.

When Rayo turned around he was face-to-face with nine Bil De Vear, not just normal Bil De Vear, they were fully buffed and at a sky rocket level of 195. A man like him could only do one thing and that was...

"Run for it!" Rayo shouted as the group took off with Bil De Vear followed closely behind.

-With the Snipers-

They were watching this from afar, and in a feeling in Sen Stomach made feel guilty for not helping.

"Screw this, I'm going down there." Sen said as she broke off from the group. Scarlet tried to call out to her.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Sen just turned around.

"Get everyone else out of here; I'll be back in one piece." She said before jumping of the ledge and sliding down the rock face. Scarlet could only shout at her as she jumped down it.

"Damn you!"

-Rayo and the Group-

"Were almost to the floader guys, we can make it..." Rayo strained as he ran for his life as there getting to the valley entrance. Through the dust collecting in the form so much activity, Red saw a figure in the distance.

"Who's that?" Rayo focus on the outline and recognised it almost instantly.

"It's Sen." As the group ran through the valley entrance Sen stood still. Blitza turned around shouting...

"What the hell are you standing there for? Can't you see what's coming!?" Sen only turned around and smiled.

"Watch and learn..." Just before the Bil De Vears reached the opening of the valley, the walls exploded and caused a min-rock slide. This in effect, caused a granite blockage at the valley mouth, stopping the Bil De Vears getting through. "See what you can do with a G trap..." Blitza just looked down in shame...

"Alright, let's get the hell out of here before she explodes. Sen, you ride with Sierra and you lot follow her and get out of here, I'm going after Eugy." The team nodded and took off while Rayo took a sharp turn and up the canyon hill.

-With Eugy-

Through her goggles she saw the floaders take off into the distance and sight with a breath of relief.

"At least they got away ok..." Then it suddenly dawned in her head. "I'm supposed to be with them." She collapsed out of frustration in feeling alone so quickly, but the noise of an engine quickly interrupted her thoughts.

"Need a lift?" She whipped around to see a slightly battle worn Rayo on his floader, extending his arm out.

"Sure as hell need one." With that, Eugy jumped on, wrapping her arms around Rayo as jetted off towards the base...


	4. EP 1: Chapter 3: Rats of Silence

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 1: The Relinquished and the Requiem

Chapter 3: Rats of Silence

As the team sped off into the distance with the floaders in high gear, Rayo was on his communicator.

"Were officially out of the blast zone, detonate when ready..." Laia smiled to herself over the communication device.

"Alright, stop and look behind you..." Rayo skidded to a halt causing a wall of cloud to be kicked into the air. His team followed suit, sliding to a halt and facing the same direction as Rayo. Red turned towards him...

"What's up? Why are we stopping?" Rayo pointed to the fortress in the background.

"Fireworks..." Red gave him a curious look. All of a sudden, a huge explosion could be heard in the distance as rubble and smoke was raised into the air through the velocity of the blast. The force back wind could be felt from a mile away as Blitza Vigor coat and Sierra and Red Ghost's hair were swept up into the air currents as they fluttered for a few moments. As the dust began to settle, the lights in the fortress seemed to go out, but this was unseen to the group. Rayo nodded to the group as they turned towards the direction of the base and sped off.

-West Kugu Desert Base-

As the group jetted in, they received a welcome round of applause from the rest of the Guardian fleet. When they got off their floaders, Laia greet them.

"Not bad, not bad at all." Laia said happily, with the cheering Guardians making noise at their accomplishment. Laia then stood on her rock after leaving the crowds of Guardians. She cleared her throat loudly to get everyone's attention.

"This development in this mission has been one that has gone in our favour. We need to keep up the pressure if we need to reach our goal of making Illuminous history. In about two hours, ten Guardians will enter the base and investigate the goings on in the building. These Guardian mission goals will be to investigate and come out alive with any evidence or clues to what Illuminous are doing. The Guardians going on this are..." Rayo crossed his fingers...

"Please let me go..." Rayo whispered.

"Rayokarna aXcess, Sierra, Rickochet Blitza, Red Ghost, Scejntynahl, Noxia, Ryn, Koji, Eugenic and Scarlet Starlet. The people's names that I have just mentioned please get ready for battle so we can depart as soon as possible..." Laia finished as she jumped off her rock. Rayo turned towards Sierra.

"I guess were gonna have a fight on our hands." Sierra just nodded.

-Rayo's Tent: 45 Minutes before Departure-

"Alright you two, how are we gonna incorporate the set of weapons between us Protransers?" Rayo asked both Eugy and Sen.

"I'll be fine. Because you are currently teaching Eugy at the moment, you should work out your weaponry with her." Ray turned to Eugy who began rummaging through Rayo's weapon box.

"Alright, I have my Shigga Desta, my Crimson, my Viper and my Ulteri. I got hell loads of traps as well, so I'm ok. Oh and I have my Okanoh." Eugy said smiling. Rayo scratched the back of his head. He rummaged through his box and pulled out his weapons. He pulled out his Meteor Cannon, Ank Dedda, Gur Bazgac, Crimson, Viper, Shigga Desta and his Hirokteri.

"Hope I can use all of these." Rayo laughed.

-North Point Exit-

"Alright guys make it back to us and sent me a communication link if anything happens."Laia said as she told the Guardians on the floaders. Rayo just nodded.

"We'll make it back." Rayo said before nodding to the team to set off into the wind. Laia sighed as she walked back to her tent. She pressed the button on her tent wall next to the door. The door locked tight what gave her some peace and privacy. She took off her main over jacket and unzipped her bright purple sports bra garment but she was then interrupted. There was a knock on her small window, whoever it was, was going to get a ranting they will never forget. As she looked through the window, she met the face of Ethan Waber. She was about to open it but she just remembered that she wasn't wearing anything on the top half of her body. She went to grab a towel to cover herself and opened the window.

"What the hell you doing here?" Laia hissed with a little hostility, Ethan just ushered her back from the window so he could slide in. As he slid in Laia moved towards her box with her clothes in it. She picked up a clean blue sports bra and dropped her towel while facing away from Ethan.

"I have news, GRM stock train was attacked by a bunch of members that seem to be with the Illuminous. I just wanted to see what you think of it." Laia just sighed as she walked towards Ethan, at one point there where only a few inches apart.

"You know what I don't like about you Ethan, even now?" Ethan looked confused.

"What?"

"The way you do things, it seems to be that you're never there when I want to speak to you on my own account. If I'm not alone as much as it is anyway..." Ethan smiled.

"I'm always here to help." Laia just laughed and turned around with her back to him.

"That's exactly it! You're here to help but as soon as you make me feel I can almost do anything you disappear again, you know how that feels?" Ethan only shook his head.

"You know what it's...mphmm." With that Laia whipped round and kissed him. Making sure she took her chance well, she almost deepened the kiss on contact. Ethan was too shocked to push her away; so he hesitantly excepted as Laia closed her eyes and leaned into him. After a few endless seconds Laia pulled away blushing slightly, her tough face was back but had a slight smile to it, but not enough for Ethan to see.

"Sometimes I wish you would just shut up and understand..." Laia said while picking up her over coat. Ethan just shook his head.

"Yeah I guess..." Laia twirled one of the locks of her hair around her index finger.

"Well, thanks for the news Ethan, you should get going..." Ethan nodded and turned to leave through the window he came in. "Will I see you again?" Laia asked him.

"As long as the Illuminous is around, I don't see why not..." Laia just nodded as Ethan climbed through the window. Just as her heard the window close, Laia laughed slightly.

"By the way does that, I can see that Karen has him trained well, knowing her she's always on top..."

-Fortress Explosion Point-

The ten Guardians crept into the building silently. It seems that the hole in the wall never even got a look at for repairs. The lights were out and circuits were shorting everywhere, but the team soon noticed that there were two paths to investigate.

"Alright, let's split into two teams." Sen suggest, the whole group agreed.

"I'll take my team with Eugy and go the smaller path to the right. Sen you stay with them because I can smell traps in this place and I'm sure as hell you can too."Rayo told her as Sen nodded as she rounded up the others. "Sie, Blitza, Eugy, let's go and do this as quickly as possible." Rayo said as he dragged his team down the narrow path way leaving the others to go their way.

As Rayo's group travelled down the pitch black and creepy hallway, the scent of maliciousness could not only be smelt, but it can be felt too. For a building like this that was built in the times of photonic technology, it had a sense of medieval torture feel to it. As they walked through using the parabola off Rayo's Meteor Cannon for light, Eugy huddled closer to Rayo in the dark.

"This is fucking creepy..." Eugy whispered as trekked down the hallway as close to Rayo as possible.

"We still need to trek with caution though. Who knows what else is in here, we might still have a major fleet fight on our hands." Rayo looked down at Eugy with concern, Eugy only shivered.

"I guarantee this darkness won't last long." Sierra said flatly. The group got towards a turning, the path seem to split again. This new path that seemed like it was leading to an abyss from where they were standing, because the detour hall way seem to get darker further on a lot more quickly.

"I'm not going down there." Eugy said simply but Rayo shook his head.

"I sense something funny about that path way..." Rayo said as he began to walk towards it.

"What the hell?" Eugy pulled him by the arm.

"The Protranser in me says I should go down this route, and you're coming with me..." Eugy shook her head furiously.

"Don't be stupid, we can barely see..." Rayo ignored her protests and dragged her through while she was clamped to his arm. Rayo stopped for a moment and looked back.

"Sierra you know how to use one of these?" Rayo asked pulling something out from his waist.

"What is it?"

"A Tenora Works Mechgun, the Magga Draga model..." Rayo said throwing her the Machinegun. She caught it swiftly and placed it on her waist.

"Alright, we'll catch you later..." Rayo said as he dragged a protesting Eugy into the darkness.

-With Eugy and Rayo-

After Eugy calmed down a bit, the Protranser pair began to walk the dark, depressing halls of this Illuminous facility. The only small bit of light rendered by the parabola of the Meteor Cannon made a visible distance in front of them about one meter or so. The soft white glow of the cannon was interrupted for about a Nano-second...

"What the hell was that?" Eugy whispered fiercely, this cause Rayo to move and pivot the cannon to see more of the hallway.

"I don't see anything..." Rayo said quietly as he cautiously took a few steps forward...

"..."

"..."

"What was that?" The cannon's glow all of a sudden seemed to be covered by something, Rayo waved the cannon around but it seems to be heavier that it was a few seconds ago...

"...What the fuck?" Rayo said in slight panic...

"..."

"..."

The light of the parabola seem to be shining through because whatever that was coving moved slightly so that it could be seen. Through the light, a photonic claw was reflected from the light of the parabola, Rayo's eyes widened in panic...

"Holy Jesus monkeys!" Rayo said as he dropped his Meteor Cannon and whatever it was landed on its feet, if it had any. All of the sudden, the thing began to talk...

"Intruders detected, let out the troops..." Instantly the lights burst on while flashing red.

"Busted..." Eugy whispered. What attacked them was a small troop looking female CAST with twin photon claws. Taking advantage of two Guardians in front of her still in shock from their discovery, she leaped at the taller Rayokarna trying to take him down. The CAST snapped out of his surprised state to draw his Ank Dedda and counter her leap with a charging Anga Dugrega. The attack hit her squarely on the chest that was left open from her own attack; this caused her to hit the wall behind her with a sickening thud. She slowly slid down the wall unconscious.

"You ok Eugy?" The cowering Eugy popped her head out of her arms to look up at him.

"I'll be fine, what now?" Rayo just shook his head...

"We just have to keep on going now and by force." Rayo said putting his Dedda on his back and pulling out the Hirokteri.

-Sierra and Blitza-

As soon as they turned another corner, the alarm lights flicked on and illuminate the hallway, which a many doors on either side. Blitza only sighed.

"Alright, who's the wise guy?" He asked to no one in particular. The doors began to open revealing enemy troops as they looked for their enemy. As soon as they checked to their left, the locked eyes with the slightly confused Blitza and Sierra...

"Get them!" what seemed to be the commanding CAST said as him and his troops charged as the two Guardians nodded to each other. The both whipped out their respective Mechguns. As soon as the photon clip lock dropped (meaning it was read to fire), the Guardians held down the trigger and let loose as flood of mini photon bulled on the oncoming wave of enemies. The Illuminous troops were taken off their feet by the fury and the speed the shots which made quick work of all the enemies charging at them. Sierra twirled her Mechgun around her finger.

"I could get used to these..." She said as she walked off with a smile with Blitza trailing behind her.

-Rayo & Eugy-

The two stood with their backs to the wall as they saw a room that was full of armed CASTs ready for battle. Eugy gave Rayo a look of confusion...

"How we gonna bust in there while taking all of them out?" She asked quietly. Rayo nodded.

"You have your confuse traps with you?" Rayo asked back. Eugy gave a slow nod. "Get out about two G ones." Eugy did what she was told as she took out the traps that formed in her hand from the data of the transformer, Rayo did the same and crept towards the door entry. "Prepare to throw..." Eugy pulled her arm back ready...

"Flash out!" Rayo yelled as he and Eugy hurled in two Confuse trap Gs each which landed within the crowd of troops. They detonated it as soon as it hit the ground, this cause confusion and yells from the crowd. Using the confusion trap's disorientation effect, this gave Rayo and Eugy time to prepare to throw in 2 more Damage G traps.

"Frag out!" Eugy yelled as two more Damage traps flew into the room. When the detonation was hit, the troops were scrambled left, right and center because of the explosion. Eugy and Rayo nodded as they both drew their Shigga Destas and burst into the room shooting. Any CASTs left from the previous attack quickly dispatched as shotgun fire was let off everywhere. As soon as all the movement in the room has stopped, they stopped firing. A buzz of Rayo's communicator interrupted the very short silence they had.

"What is it?" Sen sighed slightly down the com.

"It seems that the main office and data point is on the top floor, were proceeding there and planning to meet both Sierra and Blitza at the top." Rayo nodded.

"Me and Eugy are gonna finish investigating what's down here and meet you lot when we leave. "aXceFss out!" Rayo cut communication and nodded to Eugy. "Come on lets go." The two ran out the other exit of room deeper into the facility.

-Sen's Team-

They were standing outside a room that lead to the last flight of stairs to the top floor. They were faced with an all defensive room blockade. Knowing that they more than likely had everyone that was left behind that door didn't faze them, but forced them to think.

"I'm gonna Tornado Dance through them..." Red said preparing to dash forward with power to rival a storm, but was stopped in her tracks by Koji.

"Let me get near the end of Cross Hurricane first..." Red Ghost stopped and looked at him with question.

"Why?" Koji whipped out his pair of Grand Cross.

"I'm thinking that there will be a lot of them behind that door. I'm sure as soon as your Tornado Dance gets through, they will just clog the door again. My idea is that I will perform another move that will move them out of the way so the rest of us can break in." Red agreed and prepared herself to charge in. As Koji started up his Cross Hurricane, he stopped as soon as the pressure felt like it was gonna burst, he nodded to Red Ghost weakly, Red smiled...

"Tornado Dance!" Red roared as she burst through the door barricade and thrust through the troops and scattering any that got caught in many directions. Troops that were not hit quickly ran to the door not expecting what they were about to get...

"Cross Hurricane!" Koji screamed as the giant X made from photonic chi at collided with oncoming troops, knocking them all back.

"Charge!" shouted Scarlet as everyone else burst into the room firing bullets in each way. "Freeze mother bitches!" was Scarlet's second war cry as she let loose a Mechgun clip in some poor CAST's head...

-Eugy and Rayo-

The looked on at what's before them, not believing what it is. They looked at awe as the stepped close to it...

"We need to deal with this here and now Eugy, this thing has already begun to start working..." Eugy nodded with determination.

"Yeah!"

-Sierra & Blitza-

As Blitza charged up the stairs, knocking out another guard with the handle of his Mechgun, Sierra pointed out there was one more CAST sniper at the top of the stairs.

"What should we do about him?" Blitza asked, Sierra smiled wickedly...

With the help of Coni, Sierra aimed a blast of level 30 foie towards the sniper's head. The speed and the velocity that it was coming made it somewhat impossible for him to dodge. As the fire ball hit him, it instantly set the sniper on fire. Cries of anguish could be heard from the sniper before he collapsed on to the floor, presumably dead. Blitza just shook his head in disbelief as they got to the final stairs leading to the office room.

-Top Block, Master Office-

"According to this console, this place was a training factory." Ryn said as she continuously pressed buttons on the keyboard to find answers. As Sierra and Blitza walked into the room, they received a nod from their fellow team mates.

"Any other information?" Sen asked, she received a shaking of the head from Ryn.

"Everything on this console is now stored on this disk..." Ryn said as she pulled the data disk out from the slot. Suddenly the alarm system whirled up again.

"Breach of mainframe security..." The computerised voice said.

"What the hell..."

"A-Photon Self-destruct system in t-minus 10..." Everyone in the group's jaw dropped.

"This can't be..."

"Aww man..."

"...9..." They began to panic...

"This isn't good..."

"...Shit..."

"...8..."

"Were done for..."

"It can't end like this..."

"...7..."

"...6..."

"...5..."

"...4..."

"...3..."

"...2..."

"...1..."

"..."

"..."

"...Bomb defused..." Said the female computer voice as it began to calm down. Sen's com buzzed to break the silence. It was a happy Rayo on the other end with a cheering Eugy....

"Sorry we had to cut that close but thanks to Eugy we manage to get it done..." Sen only shook her head in reliefe.

"...don't do that again..."

`


	5. EP 1: Chapter 4: Burn Up aXcess

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 1: The Relinquished and the Requiem

Chapter 4: Burn up aXcess

Guardians began to flood the complex as the infiltration team began to wind down with their near death experience. Sen sat against the desk of the main office, fidgeting with her fingers until the backup cleanup crew came in to take care of the rest. She looked up to her other team mates that were all just as jumpy after almost being blown to pieces. Red Ghost decided to speak up...

"We should be happy, not sitting here shitting ourselves after a near miss..." She was trying to put a bit more sting back into the team but it was obvious it wasn't working.

"I hope I never have to go through it again..." Blitza told Sierra, she nodded as a reply. As the group was left with their own thoughts, Scarlet's com began to buzz...

"Yes Laia, this is Scarlet..." A stern voice was instantly heard through the other end of the communicator.

"The rest of us are outside, is it safe to proceed?" Scarlet looked at everyone in the team who nodded nervously.

"It's safe to enter..." Scarlet heard Laia command something from the other line of the communicator as Scarlet played with her hair a bit.

"We'll be there shortly, sit tight." Laia said as she cut communication. Scarlet just sighed and went back to her thoughts.

-Rayo and Eugy-

Eugy was sound asleep on lying on Rayo's chest as he was going through his equipment silently. The ordeal of defusing that war ender of a weapon took its toll on her as she snoozed to the rhythm of Rayo's synthetic heart beat. As Rayo decided to move, his communicator began to buzz...

"Hello..." Rayo said quietly, too tired to guess who it was.

"Hey, it Scarlet..." Scarlet seems a little brighter than she was before, but Rayo couldn't tell.

"Anything wrong?" Scarlet sighed before she started to talk.

"Laia is sending a team to clear up the place, where's your position?" Rayo looked around the room before answering.

"I'm in the lower levels with Eugy next to me." Eugy shuffled slightly and whispered something but Rayo didn't hear.

"Alright, I'll get Laia to send a team to help you guys out, I'll see you soon." With that, Scarlet cut the communication leaving Rayo with his thoughts once again...

-In an Unknown Location-

"Sir, the attack on the infiltration team failed..." The small female CAST whimpered, expecting a hammering from her master. The middle aged human turned his chair to face away from the CAST in front of him.

"The fact they escaped makes little difference to me..." The CAST bowed slightly...

"What's our next plan of attack sir?" The human chuckled slightly.

"We need to make sure our project is secure..." The CAST was taken back slightly...

"Sir, it's not advised that we should use it..." The human demonic laugh brought her speech to a sudden halt.

"Well, the more unstable it is, the more fun we will have..." The CAST bowed nervously.

"Alright Master." The CAST began to walk off until she was called back...

"And make sure the target is 'Hope'..." The small female CAST nodded before walking off...

-West Kugu Desert Point-

As the Infiltration team got another hero's welcome to the temporary base, the members of the team other than Eugy who was fast asleep thought their lives were coming to an end. The trip back was a lot quieter and more thoughtful as the fine sand lightly scraped the paint job of their floaders. The ride seemed long, darker, and depressing than the trip there. Once the hum of the floaders died down to the clap of the other Guardians, none of them really wanted to celebrate; they all wanted to go to bed. Once the floaders came to a halt, everyone got off and mumbled an incoherent 'good bye' and all went to their tents. The only people left were Sierra, Rayo and a sleeping Eugy, Sierra decided to talk...

"Thanks for what you did Rayo, I guess I owe you everything..." Rayo shook his head.

"I thank you for being here whenever I need you..." Sierra nodded as she pointed at Eugy.

"What you going to do with her." Sierra snickered. Rayo laughed.

"I'll put her to bed and get myself to sleep, we all need the rest." Sierra nodded as she began to walk to her tent. Rayo sighed as he gently as he picked up Eugy who nestled into his chest and took her to their tent...

...

...

...

The cool night air glazed of the camp, and only shadows that danced are the ones made from the movement of the erratic fire in the center off the camp. The only noises that could be heard, are the noise of tiredness coming from the sleeping forms of the Guardians. But as the shift of the air current in the atmosphere began to change, the feeling of the feeling of darkness is bound to overcome them and roll in...

...

...

...

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" A scream pierced through the night sky that seems to be one of a CAST girl. The person sleeping in the same tent seemed to be alert as if he was awake and the human looked around to see the issue, his face glazed over in panic at what he was looking at. "Koji get this thing off me!" The CAST girl screamed as this small hooded figure was wrestling Ryn to her bed trying to keep her pinned down.

"What in living hell..." Koji exclaimed as he reached for his B'duki Boa that was on the table next to his bed and began firing at the hooded figure. As the bullets pierced the cloth, blood seemed to be flowing out instead. After a few shots the figure jumped off Ryn and began to back pedal a bit before for stopping. Whatever wounds Koji inflicted, seemed to heal up. The blood stopped flowing, and Koji and Ryn began to hear the twisting of flesh as is the skin joined together again. Inwardly, both Koji and Ryn flinched. As soon as the figure showed any sign of movement, Ryn rolled off her bed and limped towards the entrance of the tent with Koji following suit. As they turned around though, the hooded figure began to leap again...

"Guys, watch out!" The darken figure was intercepted in mid-air by a shadowed photonic bullet to the head, which came from the door of the tent. Blood exploded and splattered everywhere as the flash back of the bloods painted the back walls of the tent. The duo turned around to see Scarlet Starlet on arm with her Blackbull rifle point where the target was. Ryn and Koji breathed a huge sigh of relief as Rayo and Sierra ran in to inspect what happened.

"What hell happened here?" Rayo cringed at the mess everywhere; there was blood on the floor, and the walls. This didn't look good.

"That thing attacked us, and it got me on my side..." Ryn cried as the lifted up her hand and synthetic blood began to run slowly, she winced in pain. By this time a few people began to arrive at the scene including Laia who almost choked seeing the mess. As people began to attend to Ryn, the hooded figure jumped up from it's placed from rest and moved its head from side to side as if it was searching for something. Sierra was the first to notice this...

"Duck for cover!" That warning seemed to be pointless because the exact thing it was leaping for was Sierra. The figure caught the upper half of Sierra's body as she fell backwards trying to stop the thing from over powering her. A claw that this figure had has gashed the side of her chest, ripping through her navy blue Miyabi-kata. She quickly threw the thing off her and drew her Vish Adac. The figure skidded to a halt before leaping at her again but this time she was ready. As the figure dived at her Sierra side stepped and threw out her whip for the end to wrap around the being's neck. She used the speed that it was going for momentum while throwing it in the direction of the tent. As the being reached its top speed in flight, Sierra tugged on the whip causing its head to drag back and then...

'SNAP!'

The being's neck was snapped from whatever spinal cord it had and blood gushed out from the parting in the hood and rained down like a summer down poor, a few people covered their mouth at the scene and ran away to throw up. The being hit the floor, more than likely dead. Sierra winced at the pain in her side but toughed it out as Laia began to speak...

"What a freaking mess...Alright, Rayo take up that dead thing with the help of Blitza. Can I have a few Acrotechers to help Ryn and Sierra and get them cleaned up? Everyone else, tidy this mess." Laia walked off to the make shift lab expecting that 'thing' to be in their soon. Just as this happened, Blitza walked in rubbing his eyes...

"You guys making so much no...What the fuck happened here!?" Blitza asked in bewilderment. Rayo pointed at the dead figure on the floor.

"That thing right there. Come on and help me move it..." Blitza shook his head furiously.

"I ain't touching that thing..." Rayo turned to him slightly annoyed, Blitza got the picture right away. "Alright, alright. Someone get me some gloves please?"

-With Ryn & Sierra-

As Sierra was getting treatment for her wound, she looked at the bed opposite to see Ryn with the same scared look on her face from before. She was wheezing and puffing as the Acrotechers tried to control her breathing.

With Sierra, she just laid back and allowed the Resta to work its magic. But something deep inside of her felt it was changing, and the central flow of it was coming from the gash on her side, she sighed softly and hoped it was nothing...

-In the Make-Shift Lab-

As Rayo and Blitza laid the 'thing' at the table and switched the focus light on. As Blitza walked off to grab something Laia walked up to Rayo and observed the thing at the table. Both Rayo and Laia nodded at each other as Rayo pulled back the cloth hiding the being's true self, their eye nearly popped out of socket at what they saw...

"What in heaven's earth..."

"What the fuck?" Both of their comments alerted Blitza who walked over to see what's going on.

"What the hell is that?" Rayo only shook his head.

"I don't know how but its, its..."

...

"...It's a Mannequin, and it was alive..."

* * *

Thus ends Episode 1: The Relinquished and the Requiem


	6. Introduction Chapter 2

Ambition of Illuminous: Lands Of War

Prologue Chapter 2: Escape

As the rain showered down on the two squaring off, all she could see was the dampened reaction through the eyes of his helmet. There was no doubt in her mind that this was wrong, but she feels that she needed to prove something. She looked up at his eyes, longing for an answer, he needed her, but she couldn't accept, not yet anyway. As she took step towards him, he backed a little, raising his Ank Dedda in light defence. She smiled mockingly at him, which caused him to flinch visibly. She dashed forward and made her move as her opponent prepared for impact.

As she came forward with her thrust, it was parried by the hilt of his heavy duty weapon. He swung the Axe over his head and back so he held it with only one hand with the blade behind them. Her smiled turned into a smirk knowing he wasn't playing to win; she was going to make him pay for giving her this kind of performance.

She leaped at him again forcing her enemy to retreat slightly while swinging back his Axe causing a parry. She leapt at him again, hoping to fake him in to making an attack, and it worked. Her opponent came forward with charge hoping to just get some distance, but his Dugrega was stopped by her foot. He looked in shock as he was stopped dead in his tracks. She applied pressure to her foot; causing her to perform a push kick on her foe and sending her enemy back about 2 metres.

The fighter against her slammed his blade of his Axe into the ground; this caused friction to stop him from going too far back. She saw her chance as she charged at him, thrusting her knee into his chest. The attack caused him to double over in pain as he clutched his chest. She pressed the advantage by taking her opponent's head in her forearms, and gave them several vicious knee blows to the head. You could hear the sound of the metal cracking from the pressure of the impact. The enemy reeled back in pain while clutching their head; you could see the dents and cracks made from the attack. She knew the time for ending this was soon to be, her Coni hummed with anticipation...

Her opponent recovered eventually and drew a dark Mugunruk, but she was more than ready, waiting to fire a wall size blast of frozen ice called Rabarta. Her target was knocked off his feet and landed hard on the ground. He stumbled back to his feet but was frozen in place by the figure walking to him. Her slow and menacing pace of walking made him petrified on the spot knowing he couldn't win. He put up one last guard of defence with his legendary spear, but she saw right through it.

Switching to her Vish Adac, She threw out her whip which wrapped around his neck like a Boa constrictor, wrapping around its prey. He instantly fell to his knees in pain. She dragged him towards her with little effort regardless of the weight difference. As soon as he was in arms distance, her Coni fell into firing position, and it was defiantly set to kill. As time began to slow down, they even seem move through water, but this time, it was no happy ending. The maxed out Foie hit her target directly in the face blowing apart his helmet into pieces. His cry of anguish was like a poison point arrow going through her heart.

"..The pain..."

"..The sorrow..."

"...The doubt..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Ahhh!" She shot up from her bed with a small cry. Her own dream seemed almost too real, she slowly glided her hands across her arms wanting to know if this was the real her.

"Rayo..." She whispered as she needed his company. She needed to be there with him. She lightly picked herself up from the bed as she took her night quilt with her. Wrapping it around her body, she lightly snuck out of the room and left while the door closed soundlessly, hoping not to wake Alfred.

She passed down the corridors of the Guardians Residential Block looking for Ray's room. She made sure that it's the one of his personal logo on the front, knowing that it's his room. She entered the password for his room and began to scan the room for anything needs looking out for. His room was newly decorated with the 'Happy Score' theme and the 3D modelled stars are a good way of making her way to the main bed room area of Rayokarna.

As she walked in, she saw a snoozing Rayo and Eugy, leaning against his bed fast asleep. Eugy was snuggled deep into his right arm as she breathed lightly in his sleep. Whatever she was dreaming about must have been good, because she was blushing slightly at the thought of some of her dreams as she ruffled in her sleep every now and again.

She shook her head at the cute sight of the two before she took her own action. She gently sat down on Rayo's left as she took his arm and wrapped it around herself. She then reached for the quilt that she subconsciously discarded moments ago and spread it on her and Rayo; this caused him to shuffle slightly in his sleep before getting comfortable again. She sighed inwardly as she leant her head against his chest, hoping that he will be the one to chase her dreams away...


	7. EP 2: Ch 1: Reading Between the Lines

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 2: From the Abyss and Beyond

Chapter 1: Reading between the Lines

As Rayo stirred in his sleep, slowly awakening to the light glow of his lights, the, person on his right began to stir in her sleep. He blinked trying to get his optic systems used to the atmosphere of the rising light, and softly shook his head to clear the morning daze. He looked to his right to see Eugy sleeping tightly gripping his right arm. Rayo smiled inwardly as himself knowing they had a good laugh yesterday. As he went to move his left arm, he felt something tugging on it. As he turned, he saw the sleeping form of his Newman friend Sierra. A little shake of the arm was all that was needed to wake her up. She jolted awake and began scanning the area to see where she is. She rubbed her eyes and stretched while still in Rayo's embrace. She got up soundly and stretched again.

"That was such a good sleep..." She said yawning. Rayo just shook his head and smiled.

"I can see that." He looked at Eugy who was still dosing.

"What happened between you two yesterday?" Sierra asked with a smirk. Rayo dismissed her assumptions with a shake of the head.

"We were watching movies yesterday and we were up until late. She couldn't be bothered to go to her room. So she just stayed here." Sierra laughed slightly. Eugy then began to slowly stir from the light noise. She rubbed her eyes and looked around the room in similar fashion to Sierra. Her silence was broken by an elongated yawn until she noticed Sierra in the room. She jerked away from Rayo and jumped back in surprise...

"Oh Sierra! Erm...This is not what it looks like..." Eugy said panicking, she looked around in something that will defend her case but it was cut short by h Sierra laughing.

"Don't worry me and Ray ain't like that." Eugy turned to Ray to have him confirm Sierra's statement with a nod. She sighed a breath of reliefe.

"So, what is on the plan today?" Eugy asked with a smile on her face. Sierra looks at Ray in question.

"Apparently, stage two of Project: Chess Game is in action. But I, Blitza and Sierra have a separate mission." Rayo just looked at the built in clock on his Vision Phone. He then turned to Sierra... "We should get ready before were late." Rayo says getting up and stretching. Sierra and Eugy both nodded...

-**Clyez City 5****th**** Floor: Guardians Headquarters**-

Red Ghost, Scarlet Starlet, Sierra, Koji, Rayo and Blitza were all sitting in the debriefing office of Laia Martinez. The group of six sat quietly as Laia stood up to address the people in front of her. The others looked up as she began to talk.

"Alright Guardians, here's the deal!" She glanced at Red Ghost who nodded back. "We have a lead that an Illuminous base opening has been found in an old mansion just of Danes Lake. This is where Red Ghost and Scarlet will be investigating. Once you get to the mission site, you will meet up with others on this mission." The two girls nodded.

"Do we leave right away?" Red asked. Laia nodded silently.

"Yes, Mina is waiting to verify your licences." The two women got up with as little noise as possible and left the room. As the door closed, Laia turned to the remaining members of the meeting.

"So what's up with us?" Rayo asked Laia. Laia turned around and looked at them with a solemn look on her face, this made Koji flinch.

"Well, Guardian Ryn has disappeared in her last mission in Old Rozenom City. We have lost contact with her since then but she had a clear position before the signal went dead." Koji jumped up from his seat.

"Why wasn't I informed about this!?" Koji yelled, the others in the room cringed. Laia only shook her head at him.

"Well, we wanted to make sure it was safe to say what has happened rather than give false information. Anyway, please get your licence verified by Mina and get going. There is no time to waste..." With that the four Guardians left with full haste.

-**G-Flyer over Old Rozenom City: Estimated time till arrival, 2 minutes**-

As the loud roar of the G-Flyer engine was heard in the background, the tension could be seen from the team. Rayo silently fiddled with his radar settings as he began to scan the area for her communicator signal. As the G-Flyer decreased in speed, the anxiousness of the teams increased. Even the team jester Blitza, frowned in nervousness. As the G Flyer came to a halt in mid-air and began its vertical descent, Ray unbuckled his seat belt and set the mission details and the black box of the G-Flyer ship just in case of an emergency. With almost a silent landing, only thing could be heard was the small strain on the hydraulics on the ship. The team got out from their seats and made their way to the ship opening.

As they left the ship, the four made spilt up and began looking for a point where Ryn lost contact. As they over turned rubble, and moved the remains of the Guardians Colony crash. As the search carried on for 30 minutes, the team found nothing and were starting to lose hope that anything was there. As Koji walked a little out of the Ryn's supposed location parameters, he found a clip of Ryn's metal plating. Not knowing it was hers, he called over the team to have a look.

"Look what I found." Koji gave the shard of titanium to Rayo. He took the shard to his eyes and turned on his goggles. As a low hum from his goggles as he began to scan the piece of metal, as the data that flowed past his eyes, it seems Koji's assumptions were correct.

"This is a piece of Ryn's parts alright. We need to see if there are any heat signatures in the area. There might be an opening to somewhere or something. Everybody, scan this area to see if you can find anything." As Rayo's team took their separate corners with their scanners on.

This search didn't last as long due to a growing leak of photon in a nearby abandoned building. The building itself seemed pretty run down, but the windows seem just newly bordered up. At the main entrance, the search party formed at the door, wondering for a way to get in...

"Are we gonna smash are way in?" Blitza asked. Rayo looked down in thought.

"I don't see why not..." Rayo switched to his Fire Okanoh and charged the door open. Shards of carbon fibre and metal flew everywhere as the dust settled to reveal Rayo dusting off bits of his armour. "Alright guys, let's see if we can drag Ryn back to us!" The party nodded and ran into the building in search of their friend.

-**Danes Lake Mansion**-

As the duo pairing walked through the Victoria styled mansion, their synthetic muscles tensed up on their weapons as they got deeper and deeper in the giant house. As Scarlet and Red slowly trekked through the building, creaks of floorboards could be heard, the smell of rotting wood in the air and the haunting feeling on their synthetic skin. As they drove on, they reached a huge main hall. This hall had balconies on each side and could be accessed from stairs they passed earlier on. Scarlet looked at Red cautiously...

"You think it's safe?" Red looked into the hall way and looked back at her.

"As safe as it looks." Scarlet sighed as she brought up her Blackbull into scope view. She scanned the hall up to the far exit. As she lowered her gun to nod to Red that it was clear. Scarlet switched to her Arb Boa and Red switched to her light Gizaha-Zashi for mobility and speed.

"On the count of three, run to the other end..." Scarlet nodded in agreement.

"...1..."

"...2..."

"...3..." The duo took off at full speed down the hallway, not looking back to see if anything was there. Window by window passed as they got closer and closer to the other side. But as they got half way there, the taps of footsteps could be heard. As the sound got louder and louder, the pair noticed it wasn't just one pair of footsteps, it was many. As the pair stopped to turn around to see where it was coming from, a flood of armed CASTs came rushing in from the balconies. As the surrounded the duo, Scarlet shook her head and looked at Red...

"...Shit..."

-**Old Rozenom City**-

Under the run down building, a storage lift was found to take them well underground of the surface. As they reached the bottom, the layout of the rundown complex seem to modernise. The search party looked around as their surrounds came to an actual full change. As the lift came to a screeching halt, the team readied their weapons. As the doors inched open, a hallway in front of them was lit up. With Rayo taking the step out first, they walked towards the big huge set of doors in front of them. Koji walked to wards it and placed his hand on the giant steel doors. Sensing that he wanted to enter, the doors slowly opened to reveal the blinding light to what was inside.

" Whoa..." The team spoke out in awe, within the light, was revealed a huge training room. With plain white walls and floors that look untouched in damage, it seemed it was used for virtual simulations. As Koji took a step forward, he saw a figure sitting in the center, with its legs hugged to its chest. Koji recognised it immediately.

"Ryn!" He shouted as he ran towards his hunting partner at full speed. As he de-equipped his weapon, he dived on her with a crushing hug. But as soon as he made contact, he felt something was wrong.

"Hello Koji..." Ryn said but something was strange about her voice. It seemed deranged, evil and hostile. Koji let go as he backed away slightly, scared out of his pants. As Ryn pulled herself up, she turned around to meet him with gleaming red eyes. This was defiantly not the reunion they were expecting...

* * *

Reading up to this point has unlocked the first chapter of 'Lands of War: Alternative Route' :P


	8. EP 2: Ch 2: Sensing the Unrest

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 2: From the Abyss and Beyond

Chapter 2: Sensing the Unrest

-**Somewhere Outside**-

Armed with goggles, three girls were surveying what was going on inside the mansion. As the scanned there area, they saw what the two Guardians inside were up against. The Beast turned to the two humans to her left.

"So...How the hell are we gonna get in?" The human next to her smiled evilly.

"Windows are shatter able right?" The human on her left looked at her confused.

"What are you thinking?" The human in the middle turned to her with a confident smile on her face.

"Every other fortefighter's way of getting into a fight..." The Beast just shook her head.

"Anyway, let's hurry up before they have more holes in them than a piece of molested Swiss cheese." She said getting up. The two other Guardians got up right after.

"Right!"

-**Lake Danes Mansion**-

As the CASTs came rushing in to form a blockage against the two guardians, Red and Scarlet looked at each other in surprise. They just kept pouring in with CAST after CAST mostly armed with rifles. As the armada eventually stopped, what seemed to be the commander just walked in...

"After having such a big tip off like that, they only send in two Guardians to check it out, smart but pathetic." With a few hand gestures, several rifle armed CASTs surrounded the pair. "Before your end comes near, what is the only thing you two wish for?" Red looked at Scarlet with a hint of frustration.

"That back up would be nice..." Scarlet nodded but the Commander was too far away to hear what she said coherently, he took a step forward.

"What was that?" The Commander snapped.

"Nothing dumbass!" Scarlet shouted back. This struck a nerve with the Commander but he quickly regained his composure...

"Defiant to the end, how cute." With a few more hand gestures, the CASTs armed their weapons in ready for attack. "Alright guys, fire at will." As the first CAST began to pull the trigger, a noise of someone shouting was in the distance...

"Anga Jabroga!" As the happened, a human wielding a Light Okanoh burst through the window, axe first into the group of CASTs on the nearest balcony. As she hit the floor, a creator of impact was formed instantly as the ground rose then fell causing a shockwave that scattered the CASTs in every which way. Some of the CASTs were knocked on to the lower levels, hitting the floor with a sickening crack. A few of the CASTs tried to attack her as she came down, the first one tried to strike her with his rifle but was met with the opposite side of the axe to the face, knocking over the edge to the lower levels. The second tried to shoot at point blank range but the Fortefighter brought the blunt side of her Axe crashing down on the CAST's head knocking him unconscious. The last CAST ran towards her headfirst for whatever reason and was met with a swift kick to the neck the knocked him off the balcony to hit the floor with his comrades.

"Faynt!" Red shouted at her friend who waved back happily. At a time like this, every good enemy commander says the same thing every time.

"Get them!" The many CASTs that were left on the balcony charged at her, they were met with a wall of ice as she backed near the broken window. As all of the CASTs were knocked back slightly, two more female Guardians clambered into the building. As they stood armed with their weapons, the army began to worry if they will come out alive...

-**Old Rozenom City**-

"What happen to you Ryn?" Koji's normally resolved and calm face had signs of desperation. He backed away step by step as Ryn took steps forward. This Ryn seemed derailed and dark, whatever happened, it changed her completely.

"I'm feeling better than I have ever been Koji..." Her voice was playful, evilly playful. Something was at an incredible miss. As she took steps towards Koji, he drew his pair of Earth Grand Cross and stood in a guarding stance. He knew inside this was just for show, he couldn't bring himself to take down his partner like this.

"Stay there Ryn!" He barked, Ryn saw right through this and kept walking towards him.

"Weak little Koji wants to play? Well, let's play." A pair of Crea Doubles formed in her right hand. Rayo looked at Sierra.

"This shouldn't be so bad..." Like adding fuel to a burning flame, the photonic blade doubled in size. Koji's eyes widened.

"Ahh fuck..."

-**Danes Lake Mansion**-

As the three female Guardians on the balcony readied there attacks, the Commander in classic style started them off.

"Get them!"

As Kyta and Chiyoko ran down the sides of the balcony in separate directions, Faynt Light readied her axe in an Anga Jabroga position. As she leapt and took flight, Scarlet and Red took this as an opportunity of a distraction and struck the closest guard to them. As he doubled over with pain, Red threw a fearsome back kick knocking him out cold. The rest of the guards that were circling the two took alert to this and focus back on them, but that didn't last long.

"Incoming!" Faynt shouted as she landed on two or three guards in the circle forcing them to scatter in random directions. The attention was instantly brought to her as some of the guards rushed at her. She switched to her Muktengek and used Dus Robado to knock away anything that was approaching. The last straggling got a swift stab to the chest that electrocuted him for a short while stunning him; it was finished off with a roundhouse kick to the head.

"Get Down!" Scarlet barked as she fired at a CAST before he pulled the trigger on his Phantom. Her Blackbull bullet ripped through the CAST head spilling synthetic blood everywhere. Faynt nodded a thank you before running off to help the other two Guardians on the Second floor.

As Chiyoko was cornered by four or five of the Illuminous troops, she whipped out her Dagger of Serafi. The troops began to fire at her as she went into a defensive stance. As the photonic rifle bullets ripped through the air aimed at the female beast, she spun her daggers and began to deflect them in every other direction. From another person's perspective, it looked like a living light show as she twirled them beautifully in the air. As she began to walk forward while keeping the momentum in her daggers, the troops back peddled a bit while firing. As soon as she cut the distance by half, she burst forward while keeping low to avoid the gun fire. As soon as she was in striking distance, she swiped several times to look like thin air. As she slashed left and right with pin point precision, the troops were left dumbstruck and in shock. As she stopped, the guards all dropped in sync except for one. The single troop that looks like he was going to get away was quickly stabbed in the chest with one blade and then stabbed with the other. As he screamed out in pain, he was abruptly cut short as Chiyoko pulled out her daggers with such force that it made him spin before he hit the ground. She then shook her daggers for the synthetic blood to come off.

As Kyta danced around the blade wielding female CASTs, she was knocked down as she attempted to block one of their strikes. She got up and retreated a bit to give herself some space. The CAST that knocked her down smirked slightly, then something in Kyta instantly snapped. As she changed weapon to a Magical Wand, she changed again to another Magical Wand. She did it again and again while picking up speed, until her Nano transformer went into overdrive and kept changing regardless to what she was doing. She then began swinging her hand like she was in a casting motion. The CASTs that were about to attack saw this as an opening and charged. Then it happened...

...Basic Technics began to fly at a machine gun speed. The oncoming CASTs were bombarded with tech after tech. Diga, Foie, Barta, Megid and Zonde in that order over and over again. The CASTs had no chance take into consideration their really bad MST. As the smoke cleared she smiled triumphantly to herself with her Phantom Magical Wand attack. As she turned to speak to Chiyoko, the female beast zipped past her while running on what is left of the banister of the balcony.

Chiyoko leaped when she found herself parallel with the Commander and his surrounding troops. When in mid-air, she changed to her Yamata-Misaki (Which you can see the poison dripping off it) and performed Bukuu Rensen-Ga. As she flew through the air, she aimed her landing right on one of the Commander's guards. The next troop saw this and rushed to his comrade's aid. He was abruptly stopped as Chiyoko leaped up and gave him a slash to the face. Another guard drew his dagger and went to go for a strike for the powerhouse beast. Chiyoko used the third part of the combo to leap over the oncoming guard to attack the one behind him who was concentrating on Red Ghost. Her left claw impacted with his head and sent him straight into a support beam, infecting him with virus instantly.

Chiyoko rolled out of the way to the confusion of the guard in chase. And in a flash he was turned to road kill as Red Ghost sped past with a thunderous Tornado Dance. The commander looked around in surprise as his team was picked apart by the Guardians. The five females, in the end surrounded him.

"You wouldn't kill me?" He pleaded in hesitation. Scarlet smile grew.

"It gets easier every time..."

-**Old Rozenom City**-

As Ryn attacked Koji in a series of combos with her boosted Crea Doubles, Koji was forced to parry the attacks with his Huge Cutter. The weight of the sword at the speed his reflexes were making him move was taking its toll. He was breathing heavily as Ryn cut back to give herself space for her next attack. Ryn charged forward, slamming into him full force with a powered up Tornado Dance. Koji cringed as he felt the rotating effect of the attack. As the whirlwind current stopped, Koji back peddled a few steps before dropping to his knees, wheezing.

"Koji, you ok!?" Blitza shouted as he held his hand to his chest.

"I'm fine!" Koji barked with defiance that made Blitza cringe. Inside Koji was in conflict in whether to hurt his hunting partner in self defence or not. His thoughts were cut short as Ryn came crashing down from above slamming her Doubles into the ground. Koji narrowly missed being hit and dodged rolled out of the way. His reflex weren't doing him any favours though as Ryn caught him in the back with a side kick, knocking on to his front.

"Had enough Koji?" Ryn asked in a childish, mocking voice. Koji got up and brushed himself off.

"Snap out of it Ryn!" He pleaded as Ryn giggled to herself.

"Silly little Koji getting beaten by a little girl. I think someone's ego is burning." Koji switched to his Ground Grand Cross and pulled up a fighting stance.

"Bring it!" Ryn almost taken back by his sudden desire to fight, but kept the scary calm aura she had before.

"Oh, I will." Ryn ran forward straight into a Gravity Dance trying to catch Koji off guard. He parried it and took to the air as he leaped and flipped to get on the other side of Ryn. Ryn turns as she storms in with a flurry of blows that Koji checks skilfully. As Ryn backed off to perform another Tornado Dance, Koji drove forward with the opening strike of Cross Hurricane. This took Ryn totally off guard and was pushed back on her bum by the force of it. She dived out of the way of Koji aerial spike attack and ran away a bit to get some distance. Koji saw this and smiled to himself in victory...

"CROSS HURRICANE!" Koji roared as he let loose a photonic blast from his weapon in the shape of an 'X'. This blast cut through the air and was head straight to Ryn's back, but it was obvious she had other ideas. Ryn turn around and boosted forward to strike the blast head on with a Tornado Dance. To Koji's surprise, she not only was holding her own against the wave, she was pushing it back ever so slightly. Then suddenly, under Ryn's pressure, the wave dissipated and Koji was left as clear as day to an attack. He took the Tornado Dance clear into the chest and receiving all of the hits available. He was violently thrown into the air and landed hard on his back next to his three team mates.

"Koji" Rayo and Blitza shouted as they equipped their respective weapons and ran to Koji's aid but Sierra beat them to it.

"Say goodbye!" Ryn shouted as she aimed to impale and kill Koji with her last strike coming from the air. It was a race to see who would get to him first, Ryn or Sierra. As calculating as Sierra was, she already had this covered.

"Enough!" She screamed as she swung out her Vish Adac and caught Ryn around the waist, forcing it to wrap around her. With one tremendous tug, she brought Ryn out of the sky with a move Ivy from Soul Calibur would be proud of. As Ryn hit the floor badly, she was left stunned as a side effect. "Suppress her!" Sierra ordered.

"Right!" Blitza and Rayo both replied and as the both pinned her down and stopped her from moving. As Ryn was unable to move, Rayo set off a sleep trap in her face forcing her to take a snooze. Sierra healed up Koji and got him to sit up. When that was done, Rayo already had Ryn slugged over his should ready to get out of here. Koji gave a twisted smile show he was ok. Rayo nodded back. It seems that the worst was over...

-**Guardians Headquarters**-

Mina activated the communicator and handed it to Sen to give out a message. She took it from her and quickly fumbled it next to her face.

"Guys!?" She shouted down the mic, this took both Rayo and Scarlet by surprise.

"What?" They replied in sync. Sen only shook her head at Mina who giggled quietly.

"As soon as your done with your respective missions, meet near Raffon Lakeshore, you're not gonna believe what you're gonna see..." This brought confusion from the two on the other side.

"Is it that urgent?" Rayo asked as a reply.

Well, maybe it isn't... 


	9. EP 2: Ch 3: Drifting Heart

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 2: From the Abyss and Beyond

Chapter 3: Drifting Heart

"To lavish in the life of your heart opening up is considered a good one. But in some cases that may not always be good. The weak bare friends to keep them up in times of need, but that won't be there all of the time. Any poor soul that gets trapped in this dimension of a mindset will quickly see their end draw near, or find themselves on the wrong side of justice, maybe." The young man shrivelled in his chair.

"Maybe, these are what heroes are made of, or this is what love is made of and maybe this is what friendship is made of? Within all of those questions, only time will tell..."

-Raffon Lakeshore-

As Rayo's party's G-Flyer touched down at the mobile base set up on the lake side field, Scarlet and Laia was there to greet them. The vacuum of the engine caused a lot of the loose leaves to be kicked up and thrown about from the ground. Laia and Scarlet was forced to cover their face with their hands as the ship came within feet of the two of them. Laia made sure that she was at the foot of the stair well that removed itself from the ship. As the stairs extend towards the ground, Sierra was first to stick her head out of the transport flyer.

"Ahh Sierra! Nice to see you're ok." Laia commented as the Newman descended down the stairs. The Newman bowed her head slightly as a sign of respect then she looked back to see her other to mission partners, Blitza and Rayo. They walked down the stair well; they helped Koji who was still a little bruised from his battle with Ryn. Laia walked up to the male human and scanned him with eyes full of concern.

"What happened to you?" Koji looked up and smiled faintly.

"I had a little trouble calming down Ryn..." Laia raised an eye brow.

"Calming down?" Koji nodded.

"Ryn went berserk when we went to investigate her disappearance. Koji got into a bit of a fight with her but Sierra was able to suppress her." Rayo exclaimed. Laia turned to him expecting him to carry on.

"Where is she now?" Rayo pointed to the G-flyer.

"She's unconscious right now but is awaiting examination to discover why she turned into a hostile..." Laia's face showed thought for a second before she looked back at Rayo.

"Alright, I'll get people on it. It's something that cannot really wait." She turned to a few Guardians that were behind her and motioned them to the G-flyer. She quickly gave them a set of instructions and they quickly set off into the ship. Laia turned to Rayo to address him.

"You know why we are here today?" Rayo shook his head as an answer.

"Nope. Sen gave me an instruction to come here. There were no details about it though."

"Currently, there is an Illuminous airship is on its way towards Holtes City and we plan to intercept it and investigate." Rayo's eyes gave a confused expression.

"What do you mean by 'investigate'?" Laia smiled.

"We're going to clean the place out in search of any information on them. But I'm not getting my hopes up though. Setting this plan was a gamble in its self." Rayo nodded.

"What would you like me to do Laia in this operation anyway?"

"I would like you to take a back seat in this one. I'm going to stick you in the reserve back unit for now." Rayo nodded again.

"Who from my team will be on the frontlines?" Rayo asked.

"I'm going to have both Sierra and Blitza up there. I have Sierra as the main support techer for the upper section of the battle field. Not many things go wrong when she is on the job." Rayo nodded again.

"Alright, I'm going to get myself ready." Rayo said, bowing slightly before taking off. Laia gave a slight wave before he disappeared back into the ship. But before he got there, he ran into is Newman partner in crime.

"Oh hey Rayo, what did Laia say?" She asked.

"You going to be with the main assault and I'll be in the reserves for support." Sierra laughed lightly at the news.

"So, how does Mr 'I am everybody's hope' feel about this?" Rayo returned the laugh with one of his own.

"It just means I can be lazy today. At least I'm not playing nurse..." Sierra gave him a light jab to the arm and Rayo flinched playfully.

"Unlikely. I'll be doing more damage than them." Rayo laughed out a bit before deciding he needed to go. He quickly motioned to Sierra that he needed to get ready.

"Alright Sie, I'll see you out there, good luck." Sierra nodded with a smile on her face.

"Don't get cramp being lazy." She laughed as she walked off into the main camp. As she left the shelter of the G-Flyer, she felt a drop of cold liquid in her forehead. She looked up to see the clouds to be dark and grey, almost a depressing manor.

"Looks likes it's gonna rain." She said to herself.

Inside the G-Flyer, Rayo was downloading the results data from the previous mission. As his Nano-transformer wirelessly processed the information, he began to change his Photon Arts through an internal interface. But his peaceful preparation was soon to be broken as a certain CAST female walked into the ship.

"Senpai!" Eugenic called from outside. Rayo look up from what he was doing to face the door. Slowly a female figure emerged from the door way very cautiously.

"Yes Eugy?" Rayo asked back. She carefully looked around the inside of the ship for signs of anyone else in there.

"Is there anyone else here?" She seemed to be worried, or something major was on her mind. Rayo shook his head slowly at her question. This was defiantly the answer she was looking for. She came at Rayo at full force, giving him a crushing hug.

"Woah, what's up Eugy?" She buried her head deeper into his chest. She looked up at him with a few tears in her eyes.

"Look I have a few things to tell you..." She reached for his helmet and tried to fiddle with the latches. Rayo moved his head back in reflex.

"What's up Eugy?" Rayo repeated, but this time it was a little more urgent.

"I won't be able to tell you with that damn helmet on..." She went for the latches again but Rayo broke from her grip. He placed his hands around his neck.

"All you have to do is ask nicely..." Rayo gently lifted the clips from his helmet. As the airlocks on his helmet clips released, the sound of compressed oxygen was heard being released from the latches. Eugy was caught staring as his human like face appeared before her. A small smile was on his face as the light from the outside of the G-Flyer shun off his glasses. He looked at her with a little concern.

"Anything wrong?" Eugenic took a few steps towards him.

"Look, we have a few things we need to discuss before this next attack..." Rayo tilted his head in confusion.

"What is it about?" Eugy placed her hands on his face. Rayo was slightly taken back a bit by this gesture but didn't resist.

"I've had chat with a few friends about what I'm going to from now, but there is something I want to set in stone with you here and now." She brought his face closer to hers. Rayo felt a feeling that he hasn't felt before, whatever he was feeling, he was giving into it way too easily. He muttered out only the few words that he could...

"Eugy..." The two seemed to understand what was going to happen, because as their eyes closed they leant into each other causing their faces to become inches apart.

"Senpai..." Just before they made contact a noise came from the door. The two leapt apart from each other before the origin of that noise made itself visible. Blitza stuck his head through the door way to check if anyone was in there and saw the two of Rayo and Eugenic who seemed to be idly chatting.

"Yo Rayo! The movement is starting outside; you need to be out there ASAP." Rayo nodded as a reply before Blitza slipped back through the door to go outside. Eugenic turned towards him and sighed heavily.

"Sorry about that Senpai, we'll talk later..." Eugy said lightly before waving off and leaving. He heard the knocking noise of her feet against the stairs fade as she walked out of the ship. Rayo shook his head clear slightly and ran his fingers through his short hair out of confusion.

"What the hell just happened...?"

…

…

…

It was evening before the Illuminous battle ship came to view. The anticipation of a complete army vs. Guardian fight psyched up all of the Guardians involved. Even Guardians that have never been in a battle were ready for it. Sierra stood in the middle of a group or Fortefighters and Wartechers as she waiting for the signal. She brought her Coni into reach and patted it for a sign of good luck, a normal Ritual before battle for her. She drew her Vish Adac and silently waited for the upcoming battle.

Rayo on the other hand was waiting quietly with Eugenic and Sen on higher ground. It seems the three were all placed there just in case the first wave couldn't do the job. Rayo was a bit sceptical of this but kept his thoughts to himself since this was such a big battle. His Meteor Cannon hummed in anticipation of combat but was forced on standby because of his role. He sighed slightly before looking up at the oncoming warship.

As the warship started to slow down in the air, the main assault readied their weapons. The air was so tense that it could be an ingredient to a sandwich. As the base of the warship began to rumble, a small platform descended from the air craft. Upon this platform are what seem to be Howzer and a few troops from his army. This sight caught almost everybody off guard. Laia, who was in the middle lines, looked on in confusion at this display.

"Something is wrong." Rayo said simply. Both Eugy and Sen nodded in agreement. From how close Sierra was, she could see that Howzer had a smile on his face, despite being terribly out numbered.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm glad we can all come today to see the grand testing of my new weapon." Howzer smirked as he looked into the crowd for his 'project'. Rayo looked on from his position in concern. During this, it also began to rain harder and the light began to diminish from the sky. This couldn't look anymore evil. Rayo optimised his optical lenses for the condition so he could see.

"However, I feel sorry for your dear leader because every single one of you will regret coming out here today. And she will be the only one to blame." He pulled out a mini keyboard and began to type on it. Rayo was actually finding it hard to keep a grip of the situation. To him, it felt somewhat familiar.

"Why do I feel like I've been here before?" Rayo asked himself out loud. It caused Sen to turn to him in confusion.

"Now sit back, relax and let the madness begin." He pressed one last button his keyboard and waited for it to happen. It was obvious that the effect wasn't immediate but it still was working behind the scenes, and he knew it would strike anytime now.

Sierra's hair was damp and the fact that it was stick to her skin was irritating her. She looked on to see Howzer as he pressed a button on his keyboard and thought nothing of it until...

"Uaahhhhhh!" Sierra screamed in pain as it felt her blood is being reversed the wrong way. Her skin felt like it was on fire and was freezing cold simultaneously. Her heart beat quickened to the point where she thought it was going to beat right out of her chest. Her screams of anguish was heard right through the frontlines and everyone around her made space for her as her outburst brought pain to the ears around her.

"Gaaaahhhh!" She howled again as she held the side of her chest tightly.

"Ahhhhhh!" While this was going on, it seems a manic smile appeared on her face...

"Ahhhh!"

"Ugh!"

"Ubwaa!"

...

...

...Then, silence...

...

...

...


	10. EP 2: Ch 4: Ultimate Misinterpretation

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 2: From the Abyss and Beyond

Chapter 4: Ultimate Misinterpretation

Her screams were loud, clear and deafening. It was like the unheard war cry from hell beating against the ear drums of the Guardians. It seems this development was more than enough to satisfy Howzer, because he was the only one making noise except for the seem-to-be out of control Sierra. Some Fortefighters and Wartechers were even clutching their ears in pain. Rayo, as alert as ever, was getting ready to leave his post to help, but he was stopped quickly by Sen's arm.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sen didn't even look at him.

"It's not safe. I can see it from here." Rayo's face showed anger inside his helmet.

"More like she's in pain!" Rayo shouted. Sen stayed still.

"More like everybody else will be if we're not careful." Rayo face changed from anger to confusion.

"What do you mean?" Sen pointed to the main battle field.

"You're about to find out." Rayo looked on in horror at what he saw next...

...Sierra at that moment just stopped screaming and curled up into a ball for her own self defence. The nearest Guardian came to her aid.

"Excuse me miss, are you ok?" He asked softly. Her head turned to him and the expression he got back made him flinch. She wore a demented smile on her face while giggling like she was possessed. Too shocked to give a reaction, the Fortefighter was frozen in terror while she was laughing. Her expression turned instantly from amused to rage as she grabbed him by the throat and threw him into the crowd of the rest of the Guardians. The Guardians around her instantly drew her weapons, but Sierra was far from phased.

"Bring it!" She screamed which caused an immediate reaction out of Laia.

"Suppress her!"

The first wave of oncoming fighters was knocked back instantly as Sierra casted Regrants. She instantly threw out her whip and caught the nearest Wartecher and swung him around in a circle knocking out all oncoming Guardians. Another Fortefighter cam charging in from behind her and leaped into the air with Bukuu Rensen-Ga. Sierra caught him on the way down with an upward thrust to the groin with her light Blackheart, the results were obvious. He crashed the ground in pain while Sierra swiftly moving on to the next Guardian slashing him down with no remorse.

"Laia, were almost out of mainstream fighters. She's just too strong." Laia was already working on it.

"Send in any Fighgunners or Acrofighters we have and set the gunners to aim for the Warship." The Guardian nodded quickly and ran off to give the orders. Laia got ready to charge the Fighgunners and Arcofighters into battle.

Sierra was making light work with anything with two legs. As one came charging in with an Anga Dugrega, she sliced through the axe on the upstroke and caught the Fighter behind it with the down stroke. She then chained the slash into a spinning strike and jumped from fighter to fighter while cutting them down. As she got on the last bit of the combo, she drop kicked through the circle of fighters sending them flying and knocked them out. Anything else that came charging at her was swiftly frozen in place with a quick Gibarta spell and the wiped out with a Gifoie follow up.

After beating through the front line, she was met with a bunch of Acrofighters readying there slicers. Her lips curved into a small smile of satisfaction as the grip on her weapon tightened.

"Fire!" Laia roared as the let loose a barrage of ninja stars and throwing blades. Sierra cast a simple Regrants and knocked all oncoming fire off course. They then switched to single handed weapons and charged at her. She let off a ferocious war cry and ran at them with every intention to take them down.

With Rayo, Sen and Eugy, the watched as Sierra mindlessly slaughtered a group of Acrofighters in awe. They could not believe that she had ripped through everyone to get where she was now and still advancing at tremendous speed. Sen watched what was strange in her pattern of direction and decided that it was now time for action.

"Alright Rayo, stay here. We're going to buy you sometime." Eugy looked at her shocked.

"We?" Sen nodded.

"I know that you would rather not have him end up dead." She nodded and drew here Okanoh. Her face flushed before nodding with newly formed determination.

"Let's go!" She cried as the two ran off to the battle field below.

"This does not look good." He said to himself simply and waited for the madness to end.

As Sierra clean out the last of the Fighgunners, she noticed that there were two remaining. It was just any two though that was left, it was Red Ghost and Blitza left. Sierra smiled ever so slightly at the two challengers. She readied her Blackheart and drew a stance. Both of them looked at each other before nodding. Before they made their move, two of the front lines Guardians were left. Chiyoko and Faynt Light drag themselves her way. As soon as the all charged Sierra readied herself to take Blitza out first. She parried Red Ghost's Blackheart with her own and then rewarded her with a kick to the chest that sent her back a few feet. To Faynt's surprise she received a reverse elbow strike to the face that knocked her off her feet. Chiyoko managed to get her first swing off but got a knee to the chest before the second one could land. Blitza was the last one to come charging in but was stopped with a swift kick to the groin. He instantly doubled over in pain then dropped to his knees, holding his crouch. Thinking she done enough, she walked off without looking back until she heard a voice.

"Don't make me do it..." She heard a very high pitch Blitza say. She laughed out loud.

"Do your worst!" She told him. Blitza snapped.

"Animality!" Blitza roared as he Nano-blasted into his power form. The red aura from his newly transformed body pulsed like every new muscle on his body. He shook his head free before twisting the kinks from his temporary body.

"Fight me!" He barked. Sierra turned to him, and she was not impressed.

"Who the hell do you take me for!" She shouted at the top of her lungs as she launched off a ball of megid right at Blitza.

"Uh oh..." Caught wrong footed by this move was struck by the megid and incapacitated on impact. Then the megid drove through Red, Faynt and Chiyoko who were all recovering but the megid knocked them all out like dominos.

Sierra stalked on in Rayo's direction to only have Laia Martinez in her way. Laia's rough attitude was being was being shown as her determination to stop her in her tracks was loud and clear. Sierra smirked at the challenge, gestured her to make the first move. Never to put down a challenge, Laia charged at with fury and started the move off with a running spear attack. Sierra jumped over her and grabbed one of Laia's locks in the process. She pulled on it and Laia was forced right into Sierra's waiting shoulder. A little dazed after taking a shoulder block to the face, she didn't see Sierra pass behind her. Before she noticed that she was gone, Sierra picked her up by the neck from behind and raised her into the air. Laia felt she could barely breathe and was gasping for air. Sierra cut her gasps short by slamming her face into the ground. Laia couldn't even get up as she was on the edge of consciousness because should could barely get up. Sierra reached down and lifted her by the waist band of her pants and hoisted her into the air. Laia babble was completely incoherent as Sierra dropped her face first into the ground again and stepping on her as she walked past.

The next three in her way was Scarlet Starlet, Noxia and Kyta. Kyta shook nervously as she stood behind Scarlet and Noxia.

"This isn't a good idea you two..." Scarlet turned to her in determination.

"We can do this, you just have to be careful" Noxia turned around and nodded. Kyta nervously nodded back.

"Alright, be careful and I'll try to keep you healed." Kyta told them. Scarlet turned around and smiled.

Sierra walked up towards them like the angel of death. He next prey was before her and she was ready to take them.

"Sierra, stand down!" Scarlet ordered. Sierra only laughed.

"Make me bitch!" The synthetic blood vessel pulsed in Scarlet's forehead.

"Fire at will!" Scarlet and Noxia fired from their twin handguns repeatedly but was to be in vain when Sierra called up a huge Dambarta spell. The photon bullets and shells were deflected and rebounded off. Scarlet couldn't believe what she was seeing, it wasn't having any effect.

"Time to play..." Sierra whispered as she moved at the speed of light and appeared in front the two gunners. Totally stunned by surprised the two gunners couldn't react to the oncoming attack. Sierra spun around and gave a saber slash to Noxia's face while knocking her down in the process. With gained momentum, she backhanded Scarlet and sent her spinning to the ground. Kyta who back peddled before Sierra came, let off a few foie blasts in her direction. Sierra saw this and caught the fireballs in her right hand. Noxia then recovered and the switched to her dagger but she received a kick to the side from Sierra while her weapon was changing. Scarlet that got up, was nailed in the face when Sierra slammed her left elbow into her with no remorse. As Noxia struggled to get up Sierra grabbed a clump of her hair and pulled her into the ever growing rotating fireball she was holding. She submerged her hair and face in the fire against her muted screams of protests. Noxia was brought to tears before Sierra pulled her out and finished her off with a hard hitting left haymaker to the face. Sierra turned to Kyta who was scared stiff by her display, and placed her arms like she was Samus Aran and got ready to send the fireball back.

"Hellfire Cannon!" Sierra roared as she let go of the rotating fireball and with rocket speed (note: this looks like a level 40 foie). This hit the floor just in front of Kyta and the explosion looked like someone had just used a level 31+ rafoie. Kyta flew back blackened and smoked as she hit the ground with a muted thump. Scarlet watched now livid with fury.

"BITCH!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she ran with only anger backing her up. Sierra saw this and smirked as she tripped Scarlet over and planted her saber into her chest.

"That's a shame..." Sierra brought down her other arm and a quick blast of Razonde hit directly where her saber was. Scarlet's screams where muted out by the sound of the thunder hitting her prone body. Sierra then trotted over to the seeming to be open Rayo who could only watch on.

Her pace was slow, her actions were wicked but her face seemed at peace. It seems that this was the real Sierra, because she looked comfortable where she was. The condition of her strange and twisted mind seemed to be absolute, but the downfall of her best friend seemed to be next until...

"Stop right there!" Eugy leaped out of cover while in mid-flight with a Jabroga. Sen was doing the same but with the second part of Dugrega was both stopped at the point of impact with a tremendously chilling gibarta. They watched in horror as Sierra planned her next course of action. She took a moment to inspect Eugy why she was encapsulated in her block of ice. Eugy's expression hardens as Sierra pressed her face into the solid surface. Eugy's expression changed again when Sierra lightly kissed the block of ice and stepped away from it. With a click of the fingers, Eugy and Sen were both released from their frozen prison. Both were taking gasps of air to get them self steady but they were interrupted as Sierra caught Sen to a knee to the face while she was crouching. Eugy tried to ambush Sierra when her back was turned and got caught by Sierra's hand to her face. As Sierra heighten her grip on the CAST female until Eugy began to cry out in pain. Sierra then threw Eugy up into the air and leapt up with her. At the height of the throw, Sierra towered above her body in midair and drover her down with a double thrust stomp to the back (Like Captain Falcon's meteor smash attack in Smash Bros). Eugy rocketed to earth with a tremendous crash to the floor. Sierra made sure that she landed directly on her back on the way down causing whatever was left of Eugy to cry out in pain.

Sen saw the end of this and tried to go to her but Sierra launched her upwards with a knee to the chest that hit her so hard that she performed several summersaults in the air before landing on Sierra's hand. Sen croaked out as she felt Sierra's hand violate her insides of her back. Her knife like hand twisted and turned to maximise the pain before slamming her into the ground. Sen spat out artificial blood as she withered on the floor wanting the pain to go away. For the first time today, Sierra looked back at everything she accomplished. Just a sea of bodies and it brought a sweet smile to her face. She then turned towards her target, Rayokarna aXcess.

Rayo had no-one else to defend him, but he wouldn't allow it now anyway, so many people have gone down already, he wanted to be the last one, if he was going down at all.

As the rain showered down on the two squaring off, all she could see was the dampened reaction through the eyes of his helmet. There was no doubt in her mind that this was wrong, but she feels that she needed to prove something. She looked up at his eyes, longing for an answer, he needed her, but she couldn't accept, not yet anyway. As she took step towards him, he backed a little, raising his Ank Dedda in light defence. She smiled mockingly at him, which caused him to flinch visibly. She dashed forward and made her move as her opponent prepared for impact.

"Sierra!" Someone called above them. Rayo looked up to see Howzer's Warship hovering above them. "Save him for another time. We have other plans!" Sierra looked up and nodded.

"Yes Lord Howzer." Rayo snapped. He charged at Sierra looking to grab her before she got away. But Sierra jumped up to grab the rope hovering above them. Rayo saw this at the last moment and jumper up too. He managed to grab the end bit of the rope but was kicked off it by Sierra; he just about landed on his feet. Out of anger he switched to his Hirokteri and began to fire random shots into the air hoping to get his Warship down but nothing happened except the bullets bouncing off.

"Damn it!" He cursed. He knows deep inside who should have done more. But it's just the way life turns in the end. He looked out upon the battle field at the carnage that has taken place today. Bodies lying everywhere, people screaming and blood all over the place. This was truly a dark day for the Guardians, and to bounce back from this will be more than difficult. At the Rayo was already on his communicator to HQ.

"HQ coming in, aXcess what's wrong?" Rayo took a gulp over the mic.

"We need a full scale clean up, it's an emergency. Call all medical staff and get them out here!" Mina sound confused.

"What happened!" Rayo took a deep breath.

"The fleet was wiped out." Mina almost choked.

"By what!"

"A Newman Acrotecher..."

...

...

...

...


	11. Introduction Chapter 3

Lands of War

Introduction Chapter 3: Silence

The light hum of the hover cycle engine blazing through the fields of the Raffon area where the only thing to keep the animals awake because all seemed peaceful. The lone rider was focused on his travels and nothing else, because he had the gift that many people wanted, not to be burdened. Yet physically this was not the case, as his voice mails proved otherwise. He sighed as his helmet received another incoming communication with a small vibrate. Once again he rejected the call and carried on towards his destination. He wasn't tired, but he couldn't rest easy. He looked up from his cycle to see how much more he had left to go.

'Damn...' He whispered. It seems that another 14 miles before he can get to where he can go. Not like he's had any good luck in a while. As he swiftly manoeuvred through the trees, he received another incoming voice mail. Ignoring it, he carried on ploughing through the fields of Parum in hope of getting to his destination. It has been hard for him in these last two weeks but yet he has not given up hope. Needing all of the inspiration he can, he drives himself to his goal.

He had been riding for another 30 minutes before he decided to take a break. He needed to clean the grass blown up from the field away from his lenses. He took off his helmet and placed it on his bike. Pressing a few buttons, he decides it's time to listen to some of the mails he has been getting.

'You have received 14 new voice messages. First message...' He sighed at it.

"Yo man! I heard what happen to ya, what's going on?" A deep teenage voice said down the speaker. He pressed another few buttons down.

'Deleting message, next new message...'

"Dude, I heard you moved. What happened!" A female voice said down the speaker. He again pressed a few buttons resulting to the obvious...

'Deleting message, next new message...'

"Hey it's Scarlet. I just wanted to say me and Kyta have made a full recovery. Good thing technology is a winner these days. I heard what happened to you but no one has seen you to say anything about it. Get back to me when you want to talk." Her normal commando gunner voice was replaced with a cheerful one at that. He smiled for the first time in two weeks. Hasn't had much time to check up on everyone else...

'Deleting message, next new message...'

"We need to talk..." The message said simply. He could tell that voice anywhere, so he decided to move on to the next one.

'Deleting message, next net message...'

"Hey Senpai..." Pressing the delete button before the message could finish, she he sighed inwardly at it. He couldn't bare a love confession right now; it will destroy him if he heard it. He's had his fair share of women problems and he has no intention in making them bigger. Deciding it was best to move before some of the native creatures came because he was completely unarmed, he got back on his bike and revved it a few times before taking off into the distance...

-Elsewhere-

"Even after all of this time, I'm still incredibly impressed by your performance Hope!" She shuffled her feet and looked right at him blankly.

"Thank you Lord Howzer." She said simply. 'Or that's what you think...'

"Good good. We'll be setting up a new course of action against the Guardians. I'm sure you will be involved. Anyway, don't you want to finish off that low life of a CAST you used to hang out with?" Howzer's smile hasn't left him for two weeks, for obvious reasons.

"Rayokarna aXcess sir?" Howzer nodded. 'Heh, speaking of him, I wonder where he is...'

"That's the one. I'm sure he is going to be on every frontline battle to win you back..." Another CAST beside her interrupted him as he talked. For her not to get blasted for breaking convocation it better be good.

"Lord Howzer, that is technically impossible. The Guardians have laid off all current duties of Rayokarna aXcess so I don't think we can see him in battle. 'What!'

"That is an interesting development if I say so myself." Howzer gave a light chuckle. "Any news on his current whereabouts?" The female CAST nodded.

"Yes sir, after begin forced to leave the colony, he has moved into a small cottage home in the fields next to Old Rozenom city. His Nano-transformer doesn't allow him to use weapons or carry them so he is currently unarmed." Howzer nodded with interest.

"Anything else?"

"All he owns other than his parts, is a hover bike. He uses it to travel to where he needs to go after his lost his privileges to travel by the G-Flyer." Howzer looked at her in a little confusion.

"How did you find out this information anyway?" The CAST giggled slightly.

"Hal's news report has been doing a special on it all week. Within that, sources from the Guardians say it's true." She looked upon the CAST questionably.

'Looks like I have someone to visit. Now how do I get this guy to send me down there?' Howzer clapped his hands together and turned to her.

"How about you go down there and put him out of his misery. I'm sure he'll appreciate you doing it." Howzer laughed a bit before getting up. Sierra nodded.

"Yes Lord Howzer. I'll hand in a report when I'm done with him." Sierra said walking off. As she walked down the hallway, she drew her Light Blackheart saber.

'This going to be fun...'

...

...

-Guardians Colony, 5th Floor-

"Alright guys, we have been hit hard by that surprise attack but at least we are all still here to tell the tale of it and fight on." Blitza laughed at Laia's enthusiasm.

"I'm not going up against her again; I'm telling you that from now." Other people around the table agreed with the male beast.

"Well, I know how you all feel and I understand where you're going with this but we can't expect to roll over and take it as the end. That's what they expect us to do. Scarlet spoke up.

"We need to find a plan round her if we don't want the hassle. And my personal opinion, we just got rid of our most useful bait." The others agreed again. Sen got up which instantly silenced everyone around the table.

"We cannot dwell in the past about him. It's as simple as that. As leader of this next operation I will keep that in mind. If Sierra does decide to come down again, we are prepared for what she can do. And I hope you people will see the same." Others around the table nodded at the cold and hard truth. He was just another person now and she is just another enemy. The only was a Guardian can see it when it comes down to this sort of situation...

...

...

-Danes Fields-

As reaching the outer sector of Danes city, the only thing that could be heard from him, is the hum of his hover cycle. And as harsh as it may seem, this will be the only thing we hear from him...

...

...

...

...


	12. EP 3: Ch 1: Within the Melody

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 3: With Heart and Passion

Chapter 1: Within the Melody

The hum of his hover cycle came to a slow end as he got to his destination of the inner sanctum of Danes city, currently closed off to any member of the public. Rayo lifted himself off the bike and brushed the dust out of his Formal Wear. As he walked in towards the city's main center, he looked for the person he went to meet. After waiting a few minutes, someone came out from the other side of the center. The long haired, light skin man smiled when he saw that he didn't miss Rayo.

"It's been a long time man..." Rayo shook his hand.

"Same here, so how have you been?" The man nodded delightfully.

"The vacation is good. I needed it, but I'm bound to return eventually." Then he noticed something. "How come you have nothing equipped? It's dangerous around here..." Rayo let off a small laugh.

"That's a very long story." The man didn't seem convinced.

"Try me?" Rayo laughed out again.

"Long story short, Sierra got brain washed, I didn't do anything apparently and she got away. I got kicked out for aiding and abetting and on a permanent equipment ban by the Guardians. So yeah, anything else?" The man was taken back slightly before he regained composure.

"Do you lose your Nano-transformer protection?" Rayo nodded.

"Yep, one fatal hit and I'm done for. Oh well, what can you do?" The man laughed a bit before fixing his glasses.

"How do you always put a funny expression on a bad situation involving yourself?" Rayo shrugged.

"I've had practice..." The man laughed harder.

"Well, if that is the case, does that involved the reason why were meeting today?" Rayo nodded again.

"Yeah, I need you to help me aid the Guardians against Howzer." The man fiddled with his glasses.

"I don't mind and all but two things. One, how are you gonna help without a proper transformer. And two, why bother?" Rayo lowered his head a little.

"Well, I guess I'm the only one who is going to get into the head of Sierra to stop her from running over anything she comes across. Well, it's either that or she kills me before any of that even happens. The latter seems more than likely to be honest and I don't rule it out." The man nodded.

"You have my help. But you're gonna have to be careful, if Sierra is as strong as you tell me and in the control of Howzer, you're going to have to watch your back." Rayo nodded in agreement.

"I hope Howzer has lost interest in me, I'm hoping it will buy me some time until I'm able to pull something off." The man agreed.

"Well, you should get going. The one thing you don't want is to be ambushed at night. Message me when you get home, just so I know you're safe." Rayo smiled and shook hands with him again. Turning to mount his cycle, he placed his helmet on his head and did a complete 180 to face the opposite way.

"Laters dude!" Rayo shouted as he sped into the distance and out of sight...

...

...

...

-Guardians Colony, 5th Floor-

"Look, we have been at this over and over again and we are getting nowhere." Laia said smacking her fist into the table. Everyone shook their heads.

"I just don't see how we can do battle with the Illuminous directly without Sierra involved. Regardless how you're gonna plan it; you have to put her into the equation. Her actions are too much of a variable not to put in. We can't rely on dumb luck or anything like that to avoid her. We distract her or take her out. It's as simple as that." Blitza spoke up.

"We could always get Rayo to help us with that..."

"No!" Sen snapped. "We would be going back on everything we stand against if we got him involved. He had his chance and he did nothing, absolutely nothing. Even if we gave him a second chance he would do the exactly the same damn thing. There connection is too strong for him to emotionally handle and he suffers the price for it. He would end up dead before Sierra could say his own name. Looking on how this is going, I wouldn't it give it another month before his dead." Blitza stood up.

"Hey watch it! He would do the same if it was any of us..."Sen spoke over him again.

"And that's exactly his problem; he can grit his teeth and take it when the shit hits the fan." She turned to the rest of the group. "There is no way in hell am I putting him down, don't get me wrong. But we need to look at this realistically. The way I see it, we should have Illuminous and Sierra as two separate problems. We need to use whatever left of Rayo's life to draw out Sierra and deal with her when she tries to deal with him."

"How do we know that Ray could affect her in anyway?" Scarlet asked.

"We have no idea of Sierra's current mental condition. It might take the smallest of things to snap her back to normal. Most possible place for it to come from is Rayo, and with that guy I will also not be surprised if he manages to pull it off. Knowing Howzer, he's wants to get Rayo out of the way so Sierra can do all she likes until she flattens this colony." Red agreed.

"Sen is right, we need to move this on or it's gonna be too late."

...

...

...

The fields zipped pasts Rayo's visors as he sped across the endless grassland. Seeing that is was sunset as he got in the Rozenom sector area, he sped up pushing his bike to the limit hoping to get home before nightfall. As he ripped ground under him and drove that extra bit of distance home he seemed content and happy about the day's achievements and findings. He smiled for the first time in two weeks and he had every intention of keeping it on his face.

As he saw his small isolated house in the distance, he noticed that something wrong. From long distance it seemed that his house was open and someone was living in it. He was sure to himself that he had turned everything off from before he left the house. He stopped short on his hover cycle because he did not want to alarm what or who was in his little house. Knowing they could be easily packing enough heat to take him down in one shot he was careful going up to the front door.

At closer inspection, the ground leading to his front door was littered in a trail of red petal roses. A confused looked gripped his face but was soon to be Replaced with a determined one. He took each step to the door silently, looked at the look on his door. The main point of the lock had a whole blown through it and anything around it seemed to be melted away some sort of intense heat. Shaking his head, he gently pushed the door open...

"Hmmm, my play thing has arrived; it's not good to keep a willing girl waiting..." Rayo's expression showed horror to the highest degree.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sierra smirked before giggling slightly.

"I came to finished what I started..." This is the one thing Rayo didn't need right now and it seems there is no way out of it this time. Rayo snapped out of it and put himself in an unarmed defensive stance.

"I have nothing to lose, bring it!" Sierra smiled at his defiance.

"Gladly" She ran at him, while pulling her light Blackheart from her waste and aiming it for his chest.

SWING

...

...

...

...


	13. EP 3: Ch 2: For the Love of Heart

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 3: With Heart and Passion

Chapter 2: For the Love of Heart

-Several Hours Before-

"I have been away for too long to make an assumption of the current situation, so I cannot help you in terms of what to do..." Eugenic looked at the long haired man with a sense of confusion. She didn't totally understand his words at first but she was still come to get what she wanted.

"But he did come and see you right?" Eugenic asked him. He nodded coolly.

"Yes that is correct. He went home not too long ago. If you can fly fast enough, you might be able to catch him. He really needs someone to look over him." Eugenic nodded at the words before looking towards the direction he went.

"Alright, I'm going after him. Thanks for the information gramps." Eugy said taking off into the mini G-Flyer. The man was slightly taken back from her comment.

"I'm not that old!" The man shouted as the ship began to take off.

-Current Time-

Sierra's empty and wild swing caught the edge of Rayo's formal wear as he tried to dodge Sierra abnormal reflexes. He quickly made a small burst run along the outside of the cottage with Sierra in chase slashing in a left and right motion. The missed attacks penetrated the cottage wall making the structure shake with each attack. Sierra then leaped into him, knocking him to the floor while sending him skidding to a halt. As soon as Rayo turned around and got his bearings, Sierra had her Coni ready to fire...

"Fire!" She called out as she let her hand go like a trigger and shot after shot of foie blasts were sent in Rayo's direction. Rayo dodge rolled to the left narrowly missing them after rolling for a few minutes, he looked up to see if she made her next move, but it was already too late. She had already phased in front of him and lifted him up by the collar with one hand. She purred with satisfaction as she saw the slight panic in his face. She smiled wickedly as she slammed him into the ground making him cry out in pain. Still holding the chest section of the formal wear she lifted him again and threw him to the side sending him a few feet away. Rayo groaned as he tried to lift himself up.

"The little boy has finally seen how little he is..." Rayo lifted himself to his knees while holding his heaving chest. He wheezed slightly trying to talk.

"Snap out of it Sierra." Sierra laughed as she got near him and kicked him back to the floor.

"There is nothing to snap out of. I'll make sure your death is absolute." Sierra told him mockingly. Rayo looked up to see Sierra foot hover above him.

"And what about after that, huh?" Sierra laughed even harder as she brought her foot down against his chest, hard. Rayo screamed in pain as she repeatedly brought down her foot down on him.

"There is nothing, but it won't matter because you won't be here to see it." She continually stomped at his defenceless body. Every stomp caused a cry from the weakened CAST. After going on for about a minute or so she jumped and planted her knee into his prone chest. Leaning down to whisper in his ear, Rayo could sense the satisfaction from her voice, she was enjoying this.

"Let's see how far a CAST can stretch..."

-Guardians Colony-

"So, we'll strike at the end of the week, we need the time to let a few of the last people to fully recover. But we cannot allow the Illuminous to grow anymore than they already have; we need to act this week." Laia pressed on. She clenched her fist as she thought of away of the golden enemy of the opposition. They have figured out a plan to get though the Sierra but to put it in action would be easier said than done.

"Should we get ourselves ready?" Red asked the president who was just slightly out of focus in her mind. Laia shook the thought from her head and looked at the person that made the comment.

"Pardon me?" Red repeated the question.

"Should we start planning our equipment?" Laia nodded.

"Yeah, bring the heavy defence equipment, were gonna be knocked around a bit out there." Red and the rest of the team nodded as they got up and walked towards the door. Blitza had the chance to bring up a question.

"Have you seen Eugy anywhere?" Blitza asked her quietly. Sen turned to him in slight confusion.

"Why would I know where Ray's second girlfriend is?" Blitza shrugged slightly.

"I just thought you knew, it seems like you know everything about what happens around here." Sen's confusion turned to curiosity as she pressed the situation.

"Why? Is something out of the ordinary?" Blitza nodded at the taller CAST.

"Yeah, she checked out of the hospital ward without mention where she was going, she has been missing for a while, suspected she went to chase after Rayo." Sen thought for a moment then something clicked in her head.

"Geez, the naive fool..." Sen said while bolting for the nearest door.

-Ray's Cottage-

Rayo was hoisted up into the as Sierra threw him into the air like a lifeless ragdoll and waited for him to come down. As he landed Sierra stuck out a knee which almost broke his spinal in half. Rolling off her knee, he stayed on his chest to keep whatever of her had left protected. He knew he couldn't last any longer, it was a matter of time until his system shut down or he is broken in half. He struggled to get up as Sierra picked him up again by the back of his now shredded formal wear. After hoisting him up into face view, she threw him directly into the cottage wall sending him right through it. The cottage shook again like it was going to collapse but as the smoke cleared; she saw a sight that she didn't think that was possible. Rayo was standing, but at a closer view, his system was failing him and his was burning on fuel that wasn't there. But it just went from bad to worst.

"Prepare for your final act X." Sierra called out. In Rayo's head, he knew there was no coming back to where ever her mind has went. She has never called him that before, so maybe this is it...

"Hellfire Cannon!" Sierra roared as she quickly shot a half charged photonic fireball. The blast flew at rocket speed as it was about to collide directly with Rayo. Seeing this Rayo attempted to dodge roll to the left but it didn't go as planned...

...The impact shockwave made the front of the cottage collapse inwards on itself making the small building crumble. Smoke and ash rose as rubble fell to the ground in a heap. Sierra walked towards the ruined building in search of a survivor, she idly kicked and pushed back any rubble in her way. As she looked inside, she saw a near unconscious Rayo slumped against a wall with his left arm blown off just above the elbow. It seems that there wasn't much left of him. She lifted him up by the neck while he was against the wall. Her facial expression changed from amused to curious as she saw him open an eye. He let off a faint smile towards Sierra that raised her curiosity even more...

"What brings a smile to your face at a time like this?" She asked him softly. He coughed out a bit of synthetic blood as he began to speak.

"This whole situation is so surreal, how would have thought all my work would be for nothing just to be ended by my best friend. Pretty epic I suppose." Sierra closed the distance between them and kissed him softly. After pulling back she brought her Light Blackheart into view with her free left hand.

"Goodbye Rayokarna Maverick Hunter X." Just as was about to deliver the final stab, a love heart shaped arrow flew past her face.

"Hands off!" A female voice shouted from an opening of the rubble. Sierra turned around to see a female CAST standing proudly with a face of determination and vengeance. She raised her bow again ready to fire...

"Didn't you learn the first time Eugenic?" Eugenic's face sharpened.

"I'm gonna make sure I'm the one teaching the lesson this time." Sierra laughed while dropping Rayo.

"Is that so? Just because you think you're ready for my attacks or is it because you're wearing a light armour. That can easily be rectified..." Instantly Sierra's Light Blackheart turned into a Dark one.

"Bring it!" Eugenic shouted. An evil smirk came to Sierra's lips as she prepared to lunge at her.

"Looks like I got more fun than I was expecting!" She said in mid charge. Eugenic readied herself with an Electric Okanoh. As she was about a metre away from Eugenic another blast from another direction forced Sierra to block it and jump back. Standing not too far away was the opposing figure of Sen holding up what seems to be a Needle Cannon.

"You should bully someone who is at least capable of defending themselves." Sen said in a low voice. Her face seemed calm, devoid of emotion and ready to do any action. She aimed the Needle Cannon to her head.

"Heh, I should have seen this coming. The very people who abandoned him are defending him. So typical..." Sierra was just about to strike again but was stopped on her toes to a thumping feeling to the head. She stopped instantly and held her head in discomfort. Sen immediately took action by firing at her. Even through her sudden pains, she was just able to dodge the laser not by much though as Eugy came charging towards her with her axe ready to do damage. Sierra was just able to get a quick cast of Regrants off to knock Eugy away. While all of this is going on, Rayo smiled in his prone position looking on...

'Heh, it's working.' He whispered as Sierra finally shook her head free to see clearly.

"Sorry guys but I have a change of plans. We will meet again..." Sierra said blowing a quick hole through the rubble and dashing out of the crumbling house. After Eugy got up wondering where she went, her mind went to her next big concern.

"Rayo!" She screamed as she ran to his side. His eyes where were near closed and he was coughing constantly, he needed help and he needed it now. Sen walked over to the two and the slight look of concern came into her face.

"What did you do to her?" Sen asked him simply. All Rayo did was laugh a little before turning his head to the half destroyed cabinet near him.

"There is a data disk in the draw over there, before you take me anywhere, I need it." He choked out Sen walked over to it slowly and pulled it out. On the disk 'Project Aria' was written on the front. Curiously she looked at it before handing it to Rayo. That is when she noticed that he lost half of his left arm.

"What the hell happened to your arm Ray!" Eugy asked. Rayo coughed before answering.

"Sierra..." Eugenic placed Rayo's right arm around her shoulder before carefully lifting him. Supporting his weight, she gently carried him off to the G-flyer outside. By this time, Rayo's systems have gone down putting him into sleep mode...

...

...

...


	14. EP 3: Ch 3: Physical Presence

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 3: With Heart and Passion

Chapter 3: Physical Presence

"Not another one..." The slightly tall Newman female teenager opens the letter and scanned it quickly. Her face went from bored to confused as she read the sender of the letter. He of all people would never send a mail to her; he was friends with his sister, not her.

"Why on earth would he ask for my help, I thought he wasn't around anymore?" She sat down on her bed to examine the letter even more.

"Why would he ask for the details of Project 'Aria'?" She looked in bewilderment before starting her reply.

-Guardians Colony: Eugenic's Room-

The room was hazy, the light was dim and he couldn't see very well. It was like his optical system has been off for a few days straight. His eyes focused then unfocused getting use to the lighting but failed to optimise so he just shut them again. He tried to sit up but the stiffness of his body didn't allow the flexibility to move so his lied back down on the pillow hoping for help to come...

After laying still and allow his systems to reboot and load his movement settings for about an hour, his body function began to come back to him. He turned over and tapped the information orb wondering where he is.

'Eugenic Hurtz, current class; Protranser.' The orb recited. He sighed heavily and flopped back on the bed. Right at that time, the airlocks from the door gave way and a CAST female walked through the door. The CAST female sighed at the first sight of Rayo on her bed. It seems that he was asleep, just like he has been for the past three days...

"Still not active yet Ray?" She asked to no one. She looked on at him assuming that he was still inactive state that the he was in since he his body gave in at his now destroyed cottage. She looked at him softly, face heavy with concern. She walked over to what seemed to be his prone body, lying there. She sat on the edge of the bed and took Ray's head into her hands.

"When are you going to wake up?" She asked. She stroked his face silently causing Ray's body to tremble ever so slightly, but not enough to make Eugenic notice. She then placed his head back on the bed and began to sit up. But not believing what she was seeing, Rayo seemed to be turning over on to his side. Eugenic stared in amazement as he casually changed how he was sleeping while muttering a few words of frustration in the process. Eugy ecstatically jumped up and down in happiness with this sudden development. Even though he was on the bed, she leaped at him, almost crushing his frame underneath her.

"Ow! Watch the body work!" Rayo screamed as Eugy caught him in a death like hug in surprise.

"I can't believe you're up Senpai!" She cried as her hug got more powerful. She squeezed down so hard; Rayo felt the air leaving him at almost the same intensity as one of Sierra's attacks.

"Alright! Let me breathe!" Rayo called out as he struggled for air. Almost straight away, Eugy let him go. As Rayo began to sit up, his body didn't comply the way he would want to and took extra time to sit up. All the loose body locks inside him were being lifted one by one as he stretched out the limbs of his body. One thing that caught his attention was sight of his left arm again. He flexed it suggestively to see if it was in working order. The arm responded with precision as he began to move it up and down, then left and right. He smiled at the person who had the hassle of putting him together like that.

"It's nice to see you have your arm back. It was worrying to us..." Rayo nodded at her concern. He looked under the covers to see that he was just int the swimwear shorts. He laughed to himself wondering how ruined his Formal wear was.

"Well, do I have anything to wear now since everything was back at the cottage?" Eugy smiled and nodded.

"Well, there is a brand new Formal wear waiting for you on the table..." Rayo smiled at that, he thought his one will cost an arm and a leg to replace, literally. Eugy then leaned in. "I would advise you to leave it off though..." A rush of synthetic blood went to Rayo's face. Their faces were inches apart before Eugy's PM system went off. She sighed as she pulled away and got up to answer it. Rayo let out the breath of air he was holding and flopped back on to the bed. Eugy came back a couple seconds later looking slightly dejected, Rayo giving back a puzzled look spurred her to speak up...

"I need to go confirm my registration for the next operations so I'll guess see you later while you rest up here..." She walked to the door before turning around again. "Later Senpai."

Finally able to get his new formal wear on, he felt comfortable in something that he was used to. He felt safe, calm and able to free his mind. But again that was short lived like everything else in this system. To his surprise, the air locks on Eugy's main door unlocked as he heard light gentle footsteps walk across the ceramic wooden floor.

"Rayo! You in here?" A feminine voice called from the shop entrance. Rayo's head jerked up as he seemed amazed on how she got in.

"Back already Eugy?" Rayo called back getting up. There was a small hint of nervousness within him as he got to the door. He got as far as the other side of the cushion seats of his room before Eugenic walked in, but something took him off guard. She was dressed in a light blue and white CAS-miko set that showed of her cleavage and her upper body. Some sort of seduction spell was put on the other CAST's mind as he tried to take in what is going. Eugy scanned Rayo's face for some sort of reply, but none seemed to be given. Rayo snapped out of his small daze to examine the situation. After blankly looking at her for a few seconds, he brushed the overcoat of the formal wear from between his legs and tilted his head. Eugy only smiled.

"What's wrong Senpai, got nothing to say?" Eugy was mocking him and he knew it. But yet should he go for the bait. This is the other side of Eugy he sensed earlier...

"No, I don't actually." Eugy giggled lightly took a few steps closer to him, in turn, Rayo also backed away slightly. The distance game was getting to his head and he knew it.

"See anything you like?" She was mocking him again even though it was a legitimate was of seducing him right out of his clothes. She again took a few more steps towards him and forced him back a little until he hit the wall. Their eyes stayed locked until she totally closed the distance.

"Eugy..." Rayo whispered breathlessly. Eugy smiled inside knowing she had him where she wanted him.

"Yes Senpai..." She whispered back. She placed both hands on his face and pulled his head down to meet his lips. As the soft synthetic skin met each other for the first time Eugy moaned into his mouth. It has been too long since she felt anything like this before, and it was overdue that she needed something like this. She didn't hesitate to slip her tongue into his mouth and began to gently caress his with hers.

Eugy used her own momentum and strength to flip them round to have Rayo press her against the wall. Rayo hands slowly down her body, the slow torturous feel felt like static lighting and brought a deep moan from Eugy's mouth. He lifted her up slightly as he gently kissed down her neck; the gasp from her mouth was more than enough to tell Rayo he was doing this right. Feeling more confident about what he was doing, he thrust his thigh between her legs so he pinned her up. Whatever brushed her feeling between her legs made her arch her back and grind into him.

"Senpai..." Eugy breathed as she slowly began to grind and kiss him as the heat between them grew. Her synthetic senses heightened as the feeling of the two bodies became warmer and lust filled. She felt herself get ready for acceptance for one of her closest friends. Maybe this means that they are not friends anymore, maybe their closer than that now. But deep inside each other's head, that was the furthest thing from their mind.

"Ahh..." Eugy moaned out loudly as Rayo's lips travelled down her body like thick flowing lava down a steep volcano. As his face reached at the point of their clearage, his lustful desires were blocked off by the clothing she dawned for this occasion. Rayo frowned inside at this new barrier he has to go through to get what he and Eugy wanted. Eugy smiled at his predicament and casually reached behind her dress and was about to unclip it before she heard her door's air locks unfasten and release. She knew she forgot something and now both her and Rayo was about to pay the price for it.

"Who is it?" Rayo whispered quickly. Eugy's reply was caught in her throat for a while before she spat it out.

"Sen..." She croaked.

"Shit..." Due to Rayo's position he wasn't able to turn around and defend himself, not like that mattered with Sen anyway.

"Well well, what do we have here?" Rayo slowly lowered Eugy so she was on her feet, looked at her than nodded.

"Sorry about that Sen..." Eugy apologised. Her voice trailed into silence mid sentence.

"No matter, I need to speak to Rayokarna..." Sen commanded. Eugy nodded waiting for her to start. Her waiting was cut short as Sen's eyes went towards her again, with a little more hostility. "Alone..." She commanded again causing Eugenic to jump slightly then bolted out of the room. Sen Then turned her attention to the young male CAST in front of her, he facial expression turn from emotionless to serious as she addressed him.

"Formal meeting, on your knees..." She commanded swiftly. Rayo complied with no hesitation.

"Yes Scejntynahl-Senpai." Rayo said kneeling down. Sen met his height by sitting down on her knees also. She scanned him before she cleared her throat to speak.

"After all of the trouble Sierra has put me through, if she comes out of this one alive, I'm gonna snap he arm in two for a little reminder of what she has done..." Rayo nodded silently. "If that doesn't go to plan, it will be yours instead after all the stunts you pulled. I thought I taught you better than that!"

"Yes Senpai." Sen shook her head for the moment.

"But whatever you did back there may have given us our only hope in beating your best friend. I am grateful for the sacrifice you were willing to give and that is true Guardians material." Sen's lips form a very small smile which would be difficult to read by another person.

"Thank you Senpai." Sen took out something from behind her and offered her hand to him.

"You earned this; I hope it makes life easier..." Rayo looked what was in her hand and smiled. Softly he took the device in her hand and slotted it just under his neck.

"Thanks for getting my transformer back. I thought I'll never see it again." Sen ruffled his low cut hair and brought his forehead to meet hers.

"Don't mention it. Just use it this time." Before getting up, she planted a small kiss on his head. As she got to her feet she nodded signalling for him to rise. "Stay out of trouble ok?"

"I will Senpai and thank you." Sen gave off a small laugh while walking off.

"Just remember your arm when this is over." As she got to the door she saw and anxious waiting Eugy next to it. "Remember, lock the door this time." Sen said before walking off...

-Several Days Later. Operation: Firefly Swarm-

"Alright, most of them are already in there. We need to back them up and make sure they are able to get through the mansion halls that lead to the underground passage to Howzer's Mansion." Rayo said to the man on the back of his hover bike.

"Ok, but are you officially back yet?" The man shouted back to him through the noise of the engine.

"No, but I'm doing them a favour by turning up." He sped towards the mansion at full speed. As soon as he stopped up near the Mansion, him and the man quickly jumped off and ran into the giant house.

-Inside: Grand Hallway-

"We need back up on this side, there is more of them then we thought" Red said dodging another incoming shotgun blast. Backtracking slightly so that Scarlet can give her easy covering fire to shake off who ever that was on her tail.

"As you can see our team is split." Scarlet snarled as she sniped another Illuminous CAST in the head with her Blackbull.

"Where is Rayo when you need him...?" Ryn said quietly as she parried another attack and lashed out with her Crea Doubles. Unfortunately Ryn was caught off guard by an oncoming attack from behind. Just as the attack was about to be delivered, several shots form out of view nailed the CAST and rendered him inactive.

"Who did that?" Red called out. Blitza looked at her and shrugged.

"It wasn't me..." Blitza replied.

"Me neither..." Said Scarlet.

Just as Red was about to charge the line of CASTs in front of her instantly produced bullet holes and fell to the ground. Everyone looked around in disbelief to what was going on until...

...A man with long hair jumped from the balcony above them armed with a pair of heavily modified pair of GRM Twin Handguns flew into the crowd of enemies. All of the surrounding enemies were down in no time flat. The rest of the party looked astonished to who it was. Until the name scrolled up the in battle display unit...

'Hand of Thornz has joined the party...'

...

...

...


	15. EP 3: Ch 4: The End of the Line

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 3: With Heart and Passion

Chapter 4: End of the Line

Thronz fired a volley of handgun shots left, right and center knocking every target off their feet. The team watched in awe as they witnessed perfect aim at its finest. He ran into the center to cover more ground while firing more shots. As he leaped off a downed Illuminous CAST he fired in a circle motion while performing a summersault. As he landed, he performed a small spin while shooting to take out all surrounding enemies. As they all dropped slowly, it was the first time you can actually focus on his face. He had a small soft smile while his eyes beamed with confidence as he looked upon the damage the he has inflicted.

"Did I over do it?" He asked softly, dropping his guard slightly. Everyone was in so much shock that they fail to notice the sniper taking aim.

"Heads up!" A green multiple needle photon arrow flew through the air and embedded itself into the sniper CAST. They all turned to the blue and gold remodelled CAST above the balcony holding a Hirokteri.

"Ray!"

"Rayo!"

"Hey!"

"Finally!"

"Nice timing!" The gold CAST waved happily as he got the reaction of the other teammates. He then turned to the CAST enemies in front of him and equipped his Ank Dedda. He swung and ploughed his way through knocking various CASTs off the balcony and giving them direct strikes with his photonic blade.

"Guys! Press forward!" With that command, Scarlet shoved a photon charger in her Shigga Desta shotgun and rushed forward. Red was closely behind with her pair of Rucars and Blitza and Ryn followed just behind her.

They fought their way through the armada of the enemy, taking no prisoners. Not messing around to get to the other side of the Great Hall. They went for one hit knock out blows over and over again to take the enemies and keep up with the mission time. Once they reached the last set of the armed CASTs, the second group burst into the room. This included; Sen, Koji, Noxia, Kyta, Chiyoko and Eugenic. They all nodded as they charged forward looking to take them out but as they did that, the ground quaked slightly...

"What on earth could that be?" Thornz whispered to Blitza who only shrugged. The tremor was felt again but stronger, much stronger.

"Argh, I can feel it." Rayo said suddenly, Red looked at him cautiously.

"Feel what?" She asked. Rayo turned to her.

"Her..." Blitza raised his eye brow.

"Say what!" Blitza said before the double doors at the end of the hall suddenly burst open sending enemies near it flying. In between them was the dangerous and deadly Sierra but this time, something was amiss. Other than wearing the Ramarl outfit in full, her hair was a mess and all over the place, her skin colour was pale and she was panting hard like she had just been in a fight beforehand. Rayo smiled inside his helmet. Sierra's first action was to point at Rayo in complete anger.

"What have you done to me!" She screamed causing everyone except Rayo to flinch. Rayo said nothing.

"This doesn't make any sense..." Thornz said quietly. Rayo only turned himself into fighting stance.

"Your gonna pay aXcess, mark my words!" She shouted. It seems that she was getting weaker as time passed. She was struggling to breathe.

"Bring it Sierra..." Rayo switched to his Shigga Desta and cocked the leaver meaning it was ready to fire. Sierra then switched to a Dark Blackheart and Coni combo and charged at the CAST. Rayo dived under her first swing and landed on his side while sliding on the ground. He aimed his shotgun in her direction and waited till she turned to fire. When he fired three of the five shots connected with her chest, knocking her to the floor. As she fell to the floor, Rayo rolled backwards while changing to his Rikauteri and took aim.

"Take a break..." Rayo said simple as he let loose the golden feathery arrow. But this arrow changed to a red colour in mid air. It looked like it was going to hit cleanly but with a flash, Sierra sliced right through it.

"Not bad aXcess..." Rayo flinched back slightly.

"...Shit..." He whispered. As quick as lightening she charged him down and caught him by the neck. Lifting him off his feet she spoke dangerously low...

"If you think that's all it will take to put this nightmare away, then you have another thing coming." She squeezed harder on his neck making him cry out through his helmet. "Let's end this little game..." She struck him with a swift punch to the gut causing him to double over in her grasp. Then as she dropped him, he caught a swift roundhouse kick to the face causing him to spin and hit the floor hard. He struggled to push himself up with his arms making him stumble slightly as he rose to his feet.

"Ray, are you ok!" Shouted Blitza as the rest of the team formed a defensive position around him.

"Guys move! This is my fight..." As Rayo caught his balance, he began to unclip the parts of his helmet.

"What on are doing Ray?" Ryn called out to him. Rayo ignored her and began to fiddle with the clips with his right arm piece.

"Guys, I said move!" He said as all of the team began to split in front of him. The only person that remained was Blitza standing in his way.

"You best have a plan..." Rayo looked at his long time friend.

"Don't I always?" Blitza only shook his head as he took a step to the side.

"So Rayokarna, you're going to fight me with no armour?" Rayo shook his head as his armour piece on his right arm fell.

"Not exactly..." Rayo took a needle and syringe from his back pocket compartment and plunged it into his right arm...

"!" Was Sierra's only reaction. After filling the needle with his own synthetic blood, he summoned his Dark De Ragan Slayic in his right hand.

"Since when has Rayo had one of those?" Blitza asked Red. She only shrugged in return. The overhearing Sen smiled.

"Come on Sierra, or are you scared?" Sierra's face gave one of anger. As she lunged at him with her Dark Blackheart she took a few swipes at him but Rayo seemed to parry most of her attacks and fully block the rest. She went for an over arm swing but was met with Rayo's left shoulder panel to the face. With her stunned momentarily, Rayo caught her with an upward slash to the chest, knocking her off her feet. As she fell back, she caught herself and flipped back up on her feet but Rayo caught her on recovery with a swift kick to the side. She slowly fell to her knees holding the side of her chest.

"How is this possible?" Scarlet asked the group.

"I don't know, but Rayo certainly knows something we don't..." Sen replied. As Sierra got up she swung back with her saber, the tip of it got caught in between the split in the middle of Rayo's Slayic. Rayo span the hilt of his sword causing both blades to spin and caused Sierra's Blackheart to fly out of her hand.

"What the!" Sierra called out in surprise before lunging in with a punch. She went to swing in wildly but Rayo ducked it while throwing his sword to the floor. She swung again but missed twice and before she noticed, Rayo was behind her with both of her arms pinned to her body by Rayo's one arm. Then it happened...

Rayo embedded the needle into Sierra's right arm causing her to perform a silent scream. As the synthetic blood slowly began to invade Sierra's body, she became limper in his arms as her resistance quickly disappeared. Eventually once the needle emptied, she slumped back into his chest falling asleep.

"Shhh, that's it, Sierra, rest now..." He whispered quietly into her hair as he let Sierra's body weight guide him to the floor in a sitting position. She nestled against his chest silently while whispering.

"Rayo...Save me..."

"How on earth did you do that?" Rayo heard from behind him as he turned to see the face of Red.

"Heh, it was a little failsafe just in case I kicked the bucket..." Scarlet looked at him with confusion.

"Failsafe?" Rayo nodded.

"The blood that runs through Sierra's body are a lot different compared to her sister but has a few similarities. To change the blood that emulates Sierra's one exactly needs a few substances that are banned under most cases. But they were needed to 'purify' Sierra's body to make her return how she once was..." Scarlet shook her head.

"That's all well and good but it doesn't totally make sense..." Rayo laughed slightly.

"Well, the formula for her blood was based off a very old CAST project called 'Project: Aria'. This is what Sierra's descendants were planned to be. If Sierra's great, great, great grandmother didn't run from the court council of Neudaiz that long time ago, her fate would end up being in a CAST female body to be used as a war weapon. So by mixing her blood make up with my generic CAST synthetic blood, it allowed her blood to be purified and destroy the virus that is turning her into what she was."

"Since when did you become a scientist?" Blitza asked him.

"Well, I didn't. When you have a friend in need, sometimes you just go beyond the limits you ever knew..." Blitza laughed slightly.

"How long will she be out for?" Sen asked calmly.

"For as long as the purification process takes. And that, I do not know." Rayo replied. Red stepped forward.

"So, now the biggest threat is over, what do we do now?" Red asked. Ray looked up at her.

"You guys carry on and head to Howzer, I'll stay with Sierra until she is up and ready." Ryn put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are we gonna see you again?" She asked quietly. Rayo shrugged.

"I'm not sure, if Sierra is unable for combat, I might take a pass unless it turns into a disaster, and then call me." Rayo said. The group nodded.

"Alright, I guess its end of the line for Howzer then. Guardians, move out." Red Commanded.

...

...

...


	16. Introduction Chapter 4

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Introduction Chapter 4: Memory

"Sister!" A young girl called out.

"Sister!"

The older teenager stirred slightly by the sound of her being called. She lifted her head from her arms looking at her surroundings. The air was all hazy and her mind still caught in the dizziness of her sleep. She gently shook her head as she surveyed the area around her. She wasn't sure about the location but it seemed familiar. She sat up from her bed to see a small girl in front of her, looking at her curiously.

"Huh?" The teenager replied out of confusion. The little girl looked up at her cheerfully.

"You're finally up sister. I thought you were going to sleep all day." The teenager looked back at her again confusion.

"Sister, that means your Lexia right?" The little girl nodded and the poked the teenager.

"How could you forget the name of your baby sister?" The little girl asked, slightly agitated.

"I didn't. I just couldn't recognise you for a second..." The teenager shot back. The little girl looked at her worryingly.

"You don't remember what I look like? Is there something wrong Sis?" Lexia asked her. The teenager shook her head quickly and looked around the room. Her vision has cleared up a bit since she first got up and now she was able to pick things in the room that she recognised.

"This is my room when I was younger..." She whispered softly as she scanned the room. As she lifted herself off the bed, she swung around so she came off the bed feet first. She looked around the house, it was a small dojo styled house, a very heavy Neudaiz theme. As she walked down the stairs an older woman looked at her with a face of a little disappointment.

"I called you 30 minutes ago to get something to eat. You should get more sleep next time..." The older woman said before she left for the kitchen.

As the teenager made her way there, the world around her started to get hazy again. With a gentle shake of the head she found herself in the kitchen. The warm cream colour of the walls and the gentle smell of breakfast invaded her senses. For some strange reason, she couldn't take all of it in, like there is a magical force stopping it from happening. As she went to sit at the table she felt another wave of dizziness hit her.

'What's wrong with me?' The teenager thought to herself in concern. The older woman who she could fully recognise as her mother put her plate of food on the table which seemed to be soft heated spring rolls.

"Heh, if you're not feeling one hundred percent, you should eat these. They will at least help you get your sense of well being back." The teenager nodded and took one of the spring rolls into her hand and gently bit into one. The soft taste warmed her mouth instantly making her feel at home again. "Sometimes Sierra you act like you were never born in this family. You seem so distant at times..." The teenager looked at her with a puzzled look.

'Sierra, I guess that's my name...' The teenager's puzzled look faded and she turned back to eat.

"Is there something bothering you Sierra?" Her mother asked her. Sierra looked at her and shook her head.

"I'm ok. Just a little tired still..." Lexia bounced around her chair trying to get her sister's attention.

"You're always tired sister. Sometimes I think you could sleep for a month." She said cheerfully.

"Sierra, once in a long time in Neudaiz, the Council of Neudaiz was looking for a young princess of the 'Red Eyes'. Amazingly you resemble her very well in looks and in your studies. It seems that you and your sister will be leading the family and maybe you two will be the ones all of our family members look up to." Sierra nodded after her mother softly ruffled her hair.

"Thanks mother, it means a lot." Sierra turned her head to her and smiled, as she ate the other spring roll. As soon as she was finished her world started to get very hazy and cloudy again like she was spiralling out of a dream...

...

...

...

"..irra..."

"...Sierra..."

"Can you hear me, Sierra?" The Newman's eyes fluttered open as she heard her name being called. It took her a second to register that she was conscious. She looked around at her surroundings to see where she was. She looked directly upwards to see the smiling face of Rayo. He seemed somewhat happy at his friend has seemed to be under control of herself. She smiled back at him warmly and sat up.

"What happened to me?" She asked him puzzled.

"Howzer used your secret powers to take advantage of you and do his bidding." Sierra looked at him like he was crazy.

"There is no way that could be, it was all a dream. I swear it was..." She said while looking into her hands.

"Huh?" Sierra shook her head.

"It was like a huge nightmare that I couldn't wake up from. I took out my friends, hell I almost killed you." She started to break down a little as she put her face into her hands. Rayo took her into a small hug while she sobbed into his shoulder.

"It's alright Sie; it wasn't like you could help yourself."Rayo comforted. Sierra looked up at him slightly confused.

"Why did you do everything to help me? I was going to kill you." Rayo smiled and shook his head.

"I don't run out on friends..." Rayo trailed off. Sierra leaned forward and gave him a hug.

"Thanks for sticking by Rayo..." Rayo gave her a small hug back.

"No problem. You think you're ready for action?" Rayo asked her. Sierra gave him a puzzled look.

"All the other guys went to take on Howzer and fight him. Do you want to go help them?" Sierra looked around then got up, she then noticed what she was wearing.

"I would but this outfit isn't very comfy." Sierra said while stretching out her arms. All Rayo did was smile and formed a set of clothes into his hands. He then handed them to Sierra.

"I thought you would need an extra set of clothes so I brought a replacement just in case." Sierra smiled and took them swiftly.

"Awesome, you brought my Acrotecher wear. Since you just saved my life and there is no one but you her I might as well get changed quickly." Rayo quirked an eye brow at her comment.

"As in strip right here, right now?" She nodded innocently.

"Why does it bother you?" She asked with a clueless look on her face. Rayo just blushed and turned away.

"Nah it doesn't. Go right ahead." Sierra flashed a smile before turning around to get changed.

"Alright, no peeking..." About thirty seconds later she was back in her normal Acrotecher outfit. "You can turn around now Rayo..."

"Heh, the Sierra I hunt with..." Sierra put a hand through her hair and sighed.

"By the way do you have a brush?" Rayo nodded and gave her one.

"That's yours by the way..." Sierra laughed slightly.

"Thanks Rayo."


	17. EP 4: Chapter 1: Be With Me

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 4: The Moonlight Shade

Chapter 1: Be With Me

"Come on guys! We have a tyrant to take down!" Red urged as the group ran through the underground tunnel. The long, winding and poorly lit tunnel seemed to go on forever. This actually gave Blitza another chance to ask Sen about some advice on the upcoming situation.

"Yo Sen..." Blitza called, Sen instantly threw back a puzzled look.

"Yes Blitza?"

"How do you think this battle will go?" Sen burst out laughing.

"Child, seriously, how can you ask me a question like that?" Blitza looked confused.

"Wha-"

"We have the most dangerous mission in Guardian history and we are on the frontlines with little to no back up with no clue what we are up against and its risk level. Yet you ask me a question about our upcoming battle, kids these days..." The vain on Blitza's head pulsed.

"What do you mean kid!?" Sen laughed openly again.

"You will find out eventually..." Blitza just shook his head while running.

-Back at the Mansion-

As Rayokarna was reloading all of his weapons, he had an incoming mail from the Guardians HQ. As the notification sound rung in his ears Sierra was finally ready.

"I'm done Rayo." Sierra called from behind him. Ray took a quick glance behind him seeing the dark haired Newman smile at him.

"Let's head after them and see if we can help out. I'm sure there will be something that we can do." Sierra laughed.

"With a current track record like ours I don't think fate is on our side to make that likely." Rayo laughed through his helmet.

"You have a major point. But let's give it a try anyway, no point without trying." Sierra clicked her knuckles.

"Lead the way!" With that Rayo and Sierra ran full speed into the hallway.

-Dispensing River (The Illuminous Channel)-

"Wow!" Red exclaimed out loud as she looked around at the underground river system the group stumbled across. Blitza placed his face near the water and took a small draw of breath in before talking.

"Hmmm, this water is fresh." Scarlet holding her Blackbull looked at him in question.

"How can that be in a place like this?" Sen folded her arms and looked in thought.

"I'm guessing something or someone is able to purify water that is under here." Red looked at her.

"Well whatever it is, it's really big to get this much of it done while the water is flowing so quickly. Blitza instantly spotted something.

"Flowing? That's it!" Blitza realized.

"What is it Blitz?" Thornz asked him. Blitza pointed to the platform floating in the water which was chained to the edge of the bank.

"That! We can use it as a raft to get down the channel." Sen raised an eye brow in surprise.

"Wow, Blitza has an idea that's useful." Ryn remarked getting a quick glare from Blitza. Red walked up to it and pushed it with her Rucar testing it to see if it can hold them.

"Seems stable, alright guys, get on!" Red shouted. Everyone nodded and got on top the seem to be stable raft. After everybody boarded, Red turned around to everyone to see if they were all ready. "You guys ready?"

"YEAH!" Red smiled.

"Here we go!" She shouted as the slammed the blade of the Rucar into the chains holding the raft to the bank and as swiftly as that they went into the distance.

(5 Minutes Later)

Through the same passageway, Rayo and Sierra walked into the Channel opening to a deserted area.

"Who built this place?" Rayo asked in wonder. Sierra looked around to see if there was any way to get down there to carry on their game of catch up. Sierra saw the chains from the previous raft that was still red from the photon burn of Red's Rucar.

"Looks like they took a boat of some sort down the river." Rayo bent down next to her to examine the chains.

"Yeah, the photon burn from one of the weapons is still there. How on earth are we gonna catch them?" Rayo asked her. Sierra looked around in search of anything. She then saw the only moderately big platform placed against the wall behind her.

"How about that?" She pointed to. Rayo looked at in wonder for a second before turning to her.

"Are you thinking...?" She nodded.

"...What I'm thinking?" Rayo smiled inside his helmet.

Within a matter of minutes, the duo was speeding down the channel with Rayo crouching forward on the platform holding his Shigga Desta and Sierra standing almost back to back spewing out a constant stream of Damfoie from her Coni.

"We'll be with them with a matter of moments, were going at full speed." Sierra laughed from her position.

"Either that or my Coni will run out of PP!" She shouted over the noise of her spell. Rayo laughed lightly before gripping the edge of the platform to stabilize himself.

(With the main group)

As the group all looked out for any opening that will lead them to Howzer's HQ, Thornz was talking to Blitza about his time off.

"So when I was on my vacation, it seemed more like back to basics training to be honest." Blitza raised an eye brow.

"Why was that?" Thornz shrugged.

"I ended up doing more target training and various other things to do with my skill in weaponry in general." Blitza pointed out his weapons.

"Like your Hyper Vipers?" Thornz nodded.

"I ended up highly modifying a lot of my weapons to push the limits of the performance. Most of my twin handguns have different reactors to what are normally found in the basic GRM model themselves." Blitza scratched the back of his head.

"Rayo is like that a lot." Thornz looked at him with an idea.

"Maybe I can-"A small quake shuddered through the channel. Red stood up and looked around quickly.

"What on earth was that?" She asked.

"I'm not too sure but it was defiantly something big." Sen said while looking around.

(35 Seconds Behind them)

The tremor in the tunnel channel caused Sierra's concentration to slip slightly as she swerved left and right to regain control. As Rayokarna braced the front of the make shift raft, he saw the water level start to rise in front of him.

"Looks like we have trouble..." Rayo called out to the Newman behind him. Under the torrent of noise of her Damfoie tech, she turned around enough to see what could be coming.

"I wonder what it could be..." Sie questioned lightly. Rayo was all too focused on what was in front of him to hear his comrade. As they got closer to the rising waves he summoned his Ank Dedda and held out as he was poised to strike.

"What can you see!?" She shouted over the raging spell, Rayo only nodded.

"Trouble! And lots of it!" Inside his helmet he gritted his teeth as he started to think of a way to get them out of the incoming danger. His thoughts were cut short as the raft that they were on now started to wobble as they could feel themselves rising upwards.

"The water level is rising!" Sierra shouted as she cut some of the power from her flamethrower so she could help steer better. She veered to the left as whatever was making the water levels rise burst out of the water. The pair was stunned in awe as they saw a mighty Sea Serpent rise out of the water simply knocking the pair out of the way. Speeding after it, Rayo gritted his teeth.

"What happen to the days were missions were simple..."

-On the Raft-

Sen's attention hasn't been diverted since she felt a danger presence. Keeping an eye out in the opposite direction they were facing, her optic systems seem to pick up something.

"We have company..." This alerted Red who looked in the same direction. Zooming in on what she could see, she could make out two figures on a platform in pursuit of a currently flying object.

"Guys, what's that?" Blitza asked at the two sets of objects flying towards them.

"De Rol, incoming!" Sen called out as everyone armed their weapons.

(Back with the Duo)

Making waves as quickly as possible, they were doing their best to intercept it. Cautiously trying to stand up on the platform he was on, Rayo poised himself with his Hirokteri Bow. Trying to take aim with the flying moving target and the water making the ground unsteady under him, he struggled to lock on with his advanced optic systems.

"I can't get a shot!" He called out causing Sierra to pour even more energy into her spell. Luckily for Rayo, the gigantic sea serpent began to fly just above sea level. He switched to his Dark Mugenruk and poised himself to attack.

"How are you going to hit him from here!?" She asked him. He only turned around with that knowing look.

"I'm going to jump!" Sierra looked at him like he was crazy.

"You are mad but I'll give you the best chance I can get." She drifted the platform closer to the monster. The closer she got, the more violent the waves appeared to be. Being forced to crouch down and hold the piece of wood he struggled to get any footing.

"What are you planning!?" Sierra only smirked.

"I'm going to use the waves as a ramp!" With that she kicked up the speed to causing them to get a bit of air time between the waves.

"Alright, whatever happens, keep going forward unless I fall off!" Sierra nodded as he stumbled slightly due to the unstable water current. On the biggest wave they could get, Rayo leaped from the make shift speed raft to embed his spear in to the carapace of the altered beast. A huge flinch caused Rayo to hold on for dear life as he was shaken from left to right by the force of it. As it started to stabilize itself, Rayo pulled on his spear and hoisted himself on to its back. Wobbling slightly he crouched down and slowly crawled his way along. Peering over to see if Sierra was still keeping up, he they locked eyes for a second in mutual agreement. Giving her the thumbs up, she sped up, trying to get in front of it.

"I hope he knows what he's doing..." She whispered as she blew past.

Still crawling towards its head, he equipped his Ank Dedda and continued to inch himself forward. Finally making his way to the front and standing himself up, De Rol Le took flight and raised its altitude causing Rayo to stumble and almost fall over in shock. Regaining his composure He raised his Axe and with the most power he could muster, he slammed the Purple photonic weapon into the head of the beast. The beast roared and flailed in pain as Rayo held on as tight as possible. With that, he gritted his teeth and pulled the heavy duty weapon across the spine of De Rol Le. The sound of the skin and muscle of the beast ripping and parting ways invaded Rayo's audio systems and he cringed in disgust. Reaching its tail, Rayo switched to his Mugenruk and got ready to jump.

"Sierra now!" He shouted as he jumped away and used Dus Majarra to get that extra bit of distance to get away from the blast area. Sierra stopped abruptly in front of the sea serpent before taking firing stance and bracing her weight on her back leg as she began to concentrate energy.

"Hellfire Cannon!" She roared as the blast ripped through the monster literally obliterating it. It stood no chance as the fireball ripped through it causing multiple explosions within its body. As the fireball passed, Rayo ducked his head under the water stopped the debris from hitting him. As the remaining parts of the monster started to rain down, Rayo swam underwater towards the platform Sierra was standing on. Popping his head above the water to see a satisfied and amused Sierra looking down on him, he just rolled his eye under his helmet.

"Water good?" She smirked.

"Just shut up..." Sierra burst out laughing.

"Alright, let's get you to shore so we can get on our way." She continued to laugh as she held out a hand to him. Frowning, he did the only thing to level the playing field; he thumped the side of the platform...

"Ah!" Sierra squeaked as the platform flipped causing her fall it into the clear blue water. Quickly rising with a huge scowl on her face, Rayo doubled over with laughter.

"Water good?" He mocked as grinned gleefully. His humour was swiftly cut short to a punch to his side causing him to flinch.

"Ow..." He softly rubbed the side where he was struck. Sierra just ignored him as she swam past dragging the platform to the water edge. Rayo shortly followed her with a ghost of a smile on his face...

(With the main party)

The watched in awe as the duo swiftly took care of the resident monster. Having no problems with it, the due seemed to fall further behind the main group as they had to take care of getting themselves back on track to catch up. Smirking at their childish tendencies, Sen only shook her head amusement.

"What's so funny?" Ryn asked. Sen only shook her head again.

"The two kids I end up looking after all the time." Red only turned to them with a small laugh.

"I'm guessing you saw that too?" Sen only nodded. With that to the surprise to the people on the raft, the saint platform began to slow down as it reached a cave entrance. As they quickly got ready to dismount, Red called the attention of everyone on it.

"Alright guys, it looks like this is the last one, this is the last battle. This is the fight that we cannot lose, everyone is counting on us. There is probably loads of traps and we won't be fighting on our terms. As long as we look out for each other we can do this, that right?" Everyone nodded with a jointly...

"RIGHT!" Sen stayed silent however with her arms folded. Red turned to her confused...

"This should be interesting..." She said taking off into the cave entrance. Red was left there scratching her head in bewilderment. Blitza only laughed.

"That's her way of saying that she's ready. She does it to Rayo all the time." Red only raised her eye brow.

"How does he put up with it?" Blitza laughed again.

"She's his mother figure and teacher, it's not like he can complain about it." Red only shook it off.

"Whatever..." She turned to the rest of the group.

"Alright guys, let's go!"

...

...

...


	18. EP 4: Chapter 2: A Man's Pride

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 4: The Moonlight Shade

Chapter 2: A Man's Pride

As the group ran int the cave entrance, weapons drawn they stumbled into to an underground clearing that seem to be affected by development in the area. Looking around they spotted something. Inside the clearing was a huge mansion which was surrounded by a deep drop. The only way to get across was along a photon powered bridge.

"That doesn't look safe..." Kyta commented. Scarlet was going to turn and reply but someone cut her off.

"Don't worry, that bridge is perfectly safe..." Within the darkness stepped out the current Guardians President Laia Martinez with Ethan Weber and Karen Erra. With the sudden entrance of the divine maiden, the whole party of 11 bowed on their knees except for the ever enigmatic Sen who just folded her arms. Karen turned to the stand out CAST and smirked.

"Scejntynahl..." Karen nodded. Sen did the same in return.

"Karen..." With that Karen motioned everyone to get up.

"Alright, I know we have a tough battle ahead and even with everyone here, this will be more than difficult. Who knows what tricks this guy has up his demonic sleeve? I believe if we can stick together and look out for each other then it shouldn't be too much of a problem." Karen spoke; Ethan then looked over in slight confusion.

"Speaking of problems, where is Sierra Satioh?"

"And Rayokarna aXcess for that matter?" The crowd suddenly went silent for a second looking at each other thinking of something to say.

"There a little pre-occupied." Sen said simply causing everyone to sweat drop except for Eugenic who suddenly flushed over. Sen looked over and inwardly smirked at her Eugenic's reaction.

"Well who knows what they could be doing after a reuniting like that." She carried on which made everyone look at her like she was crazy but again Eugenic's face turned a darker shade of red.

"...Well you never know after the both fell in the water like that. The could be drying each-"

"Alright we get it!" Eugenic outburst brought her to the centre of attention. She quickly stammered her next words.

"I-I mean seriously whatever there doing isn't important it's just the case there not here." She quickly turned to the Maiden to switch the conversation subject. "Plus how did you three beat us all here?" She asked quickly.

"Well while the battle upstairs was raging on, we manage to sneak through. I'm guessing the fact you guys are still alive is means that Sierra is either dead, subdued or cured. We only managed to see the start of the fight between her and Rayokarna." A few mumbles of comments were heard by the crowd of Guardians.

"Well she's cured from what she could see, Rayo working that magic he does when it was anything to do with Sierra." Chiyoko spoke up. Ethan, Laia and Karen all smiled.

"Well that's good to know. I knew that walking freezer was good for something..." Laia said making the group laugh. After a few moments, Ethan's expression suddenly turned serious. Looking at them in sudden determination and nodded causing everyone to do the same and they followed his lead as he took off across the bridge. As they were going across, Eugenic stopped momentarily just to look back through the cave entrance where they came from.

"Senpai, I hope your ok..."

(With the Duo outside)

As they came to the clearing entrance that their comrades walked through moments before, they both jumped from the small platform to the giant raft in unusual silence. Still wearing the same scowl that she has been for the last ten minutes, Rayo thought he might have hurt her pride a little too much.

"Sierra, you still mad?"

"..." Rayo sighed inside his helmet.

"Couldn't have made you that upset?"

"..." Her back was the only thing he was going to right now.

"Alright I'm sorry..." Sierra turned to him and smiled slightly.

"I'm not upset at you, I'm just trying to concentrate on how I'm going to rip this guy's head right off his shoulders." This got a smirk from Rayo.

"I kinda forgot about him. I would rather be fighting him than you anyway." Sierra turned around and laughed.

"Well of course. I was out of control, vicious, blood hungry, destructive and unrepentant. The rage, the insanity and the violence was in hordes. The only way you could understand it was through my actions, which I harshly put you through." Rayo only sighed taking a hold of her shoulder to stop her walking.

"Look, when it comes down to it, you're ok, were still alive and were still fighting. What ever happened wasn't a big deal-"

"Big deal, Rayo-"

"I know, but were both still here better or for worse and we still have the real battle to fight regardless of what path got us there. You hear me?" Sierra shrunk internally and nodded slowly.

"Good we've both worked that out. Now we have an idiot to incapacitate..." Sierra turned to the darkened path.

"More like decapitate..." Rayo only smiled

"That's more like it..."

(With the main group)

Ah the Guardians got to the main entrance; the huge double doors opened on their arrival waiting for the life blood to the system to come through. Looking at each other cautiously before stepping inside the fortress like mansion, they spread out as the searched for dangers.

"Alright: Sen, Ryn, Blitza, Scarlet take the east wing." She pointed across to the position Laia wanted them at. They swiftly moved out to the given section as Laia turned to the others.

"Red, Kyta, Noxia take the elevated west wing up the stairs" With that command, the Guardians moved.

"Koji, Chiyoko, Eugenic and Thornz guard the door..." With that, everyone one was in position. As Laia, Ethan and Karen slowly trekked up the main stairs. Walking in a triangle shape, keeping an eye out on the various statues and pictures for traps or any hazards, the three got the top of staircase as the examined the landing. After finding nothing, Laia motioned to the other two she was with for what seemed to be the main set of doors to an important room. With Laia on the left and Ethan and Karen, Laia gave them a countdown.

"Stay behind me..." Ethan told Karen sternly.

"Ethan I can-" She was cut off by Ethan's most determined expression to date. Karen's protests died as she nodded weakly. Ethan then turned to Laia and nodded to say he was ready.

"Now..." She told them as they kicked the door open while running in, weapons drawn. As the saw a man quite late in his age with long silver hair, Laia smiled inside for the fact they have finally got their man.

"It's over Howzer!" Ethan announced swiping his Cliburn through the air as he said it. He earned a subtle laugh as a response.

"Typical I guess..." He replied like he was taking no notice of them.

"Finally you will pay your dues for all of the people you have tormented and killed at the hands of your evil schemes." Karen told him. Howzer again only laughed, but this time it was more maniacal.

"You stupid little girl, you know absolutely nothing..." Ethan sparked with anger.

"Watch who you're talking to." He snapped. He sighed in exasperation.

"Inconveniences happen to everyone I guess. How were your Guardians after my little experiment in the field?" He asked casually standing up. Laia flinched for a second before turning furious.

"You monster, why would the fuck would you do that for? Answer me!" Laia slammed her spear into the ground, photon blade first. Ethan tried to calm her down, she's no use angry.

"Laia-"

"Fucking answer me! Why did you fucking do that!?" She was about to lose it.

"Laia!" Karen pleased, but it was too late.

"I'm going to fucking have your head!" With that, she reared her spear back then charged. Taking off before neither of them could react She leapt of the oversized desk Howzer was sitting at aiming to plunge the bladed end into his face.

"Insolent child..." He jumped into the air as he met Laia half way. To the President's surprise, Howzer grabbed her from around the waist and threw her with authority back to where she stood previously. Sliding to a halt on the ground, it took Laia a few moments for her to pick herself up the floor as Howzer landed in front of his desk and started to advancing towards them.

"Laia, I have you back!" Ethan took defensive stance in front of her to buy her some time to get her bearings again. Karen helped by lifting her slightly to drag her back to the entrance of the door to give her space. Just then, Red, Kyta and Noxia came bursting in.

"We heard some commotion!" Red called just as Ethan went for a swipe but was easily caught. Time seemed to freeze as the realization of what they were up against kicked in. The expression of horror and fear dawned on them all as saw Ethan's weapon easily pulled from he's hands and Howzer as quick as light, returned the slash with sickening speed and power directly across his chest, causing him to stumble forwards as he fell against him. Howzer easily caught him and lifted him up from his collar with one hand.

"ETHAN!" Karen cried as he was effortlessly thrown into a nearby wall with enough power to have it crack on impact. Within that time Laia was able to shake the cobwebs from her fall as she start to stand on her own two feet. Red only sighed...

"Not this shit again..." With that Howzer charged at full speed as he speeded right at Karen. Thinking on instinct, she pushed Laia in to the arms of Noxia as she equipped he Daggers quickly to deflect his oncoming sword strike. Withering from the power of the blow her knees were starting to give way from the amount of weight into the blow.

"You will die by your own man's blade!" He told her with a wicked grin on his face. Seeing Karen struggle kicked Red into gear as she intercepted him with an oncoming diving slash with her Two-Headed Ragnus. Flame trails were left after every parry and offensive strike she performed. Holding her own for a few moments before Howzer got the opening he needed as he kicked her squarely in the back send her skidding back a few meters. Holding her chest in slight pain she stood straight as she shook it off.

"This is entertaining but the introductions are over..." With a simple click of the fingers the doorway that everyone was currently occupying blew up in several volleys of Rafoie sending them flying out and down the stairs in a heap. Noxia and Kyta were the first ones to rise up while holding the heads in slight pain then Karen was next up switching to a Wand to heal up.

"Heal us, Resta..." With that the tech was activated but nothing happened. With sudden urgency she scrolled through all of her support TECHNICs to see that their all locked.

"Kyta is your support techs available?" Karen asked her in panic, looked down in thought to check and Karen's fear increased as Kyta with wide eyes noticed that she had none available.

"This isn't good..." She said simply as Noxia pointed up to the stairs. Red was looked up in time from Noxia's warning to give one of her own.

"SCATTER!" She shouted as all Guardians within the hit radius swiftly rolled out of the way as a half human in a mechanical SEED-Venus shaped exoskeleton hit the ground. Causing a crater, the Guardians watching the door swiftly came into battle with their weapons armed.

"What on the Maiden's name..." The being started to talk.

"Behold your end, you will now see the end of time and the start of anew...ah fuck it!" With that he fired a quick blast of level 40 Foie right at Eugenic who just about dodged out of the way but couldn't escape the blast radius behind her. The explosion threw her forward with her slightly blackened and smoked.

"Eugenic!" Chiyoko called before pulling out her Tech-MAG. "Resta!" She called but yet nothing happened. Howzer only smiled as he threw the same attack right at the Beast Wartecher. Being slightly distracted didn't allow her to see it in time as she braced her arm in front of her for protection awaiting impact. As the attack hit her, it exploded on impact sending her flying into the adjacent wall behind her at full speed. Koji wasted no time as he charged and reared back his Huge Cutter and leaped into the air.

"Gravity Break!" He shouted as was coming down. As he hit the ground however, he caught nothing but air. Quickly realising he missed rolled to the side but Howzer already telegraphed it. Kicking him aside he sent Koji sprawling and bounce across the floor. Taking back command of the combat, Red ran towards Howzer while jumping over the speeding Koji coming towards her without breaking her stride. Switching to her light Rucars...

"Tornado Dance!" As she flew towards him at breakneck speed Howzer reared his giant arm back and swatted Red out of the way with ease. As the east wing team came in, they wasted no time getting stuck in as Sen and Blitza nodded to each other as they ran parallel against each other as the Sen went in with an Axe and Blitza with Dual Swords.

"Rising Crush!"

"Anga Redda!" Simultaneously the attacks went off but Howzer bent down slightly and blocked both attacks with his hands. He smirked as the two struggled to break free. A blast of Gifoie went off managing to hit Blitza and send him spinning across the hall. But with a bit of skill Sen spun and danced out of the spell's range giving him a mighty glare as she locked eyes with him. Deciding otherwise she changed to her Knuckles to give more mobility.

"Anyone has any ideas?" Blitza asked shakily as he got up slowly to dust himself off and take a Trimate, Red who did the same stumbled back into a fighting stance.

"No, but one now will be nice." Scarlet growled slightly as her Rifle shots either missed or did nothing in effect when it did hit him. As both Noxia and Scarlet had troubles in the ranged department, Hand of Thornz took a completely different approach.

"Coming through!" He called as he ran right in between Karen and Blitza head first, handguns drawn. Running in head first, Thornz leapt into the air and ran along Howzer's outstretched arm. Trying to shake him off, Howzer spun around with his arm flailing but Thornz just flipped over his head and started firing at him then perfectly landing on his other shoulder.

"You insect! Get off me!" Howzer bellowed as he struggled to shake him off. Resorting to several waves of Gifoie, Howzer fired them one after the other but to no avail as Thornz hopped over them until he was out of range.

"Having trouble there?" Howzer only growled in frustration.

"How dare you mock me? You petty human, I will show you your place." With that Howzer charged at the long haired human trying to finish him with one blow. As the attempted shoulder tackle was going to have an impact, Thornz skilfully rolled under him as Koji and Sen waited until he was in range before launching their attacks.

"Assault Crush!"

"Spinning Break!" Both attacks hit their targets which was across Howzer's knee cap area, in turn caused him to stumble and fall. Red ran in to press the advantage and hopefully finish the fight.

"Absolute Dance!" With a might twirl of the helicopter like blade, she rose in the air and brought an edge of the blade down with sickening force only to be caught by a recovering madman.

"Not so fast..." He snickered as he threw Red to one side before kicking both Sen and Koji away from himself. Pushing himself up, Howzer looked around and snickered.

"Now playtime is over..." With a small smirk his size seemed to grow a little and his mechanical circuits and veins seems to glow a green.

"This is not good..." The tall CAST said as a small as an unseen frown appeared on Sen's face.

...

...

...


	19. EP 4: Chapter 3: Equinox

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 4: The Moonlight Shade

Chapter 3: Equinox

As seemingly improved enemy stood in front of them, Scarlet swore under her breath as she took a light back step. She could feel the pure A-Photon leaking and spewing out of his mechanical joints. He was a walking nuclear, ready to go off at the point of any unstable action. Slowly, the cogs in her brain literally began turning as she thought of a way to avoid possible structural damage to the complex and possibly the surrounding area. Sub-consciously taking the reload lock off her Blackbull she spotted the point needed to target him as he prepared his next attack. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as she prepared to fire at the manic figure in front of but before she was about to fire she called out...

"Guys his Nano-transer, disable it!" She shouted a she jumped into the air and rained bitch black photonic bullets down on her target. Well aware of what was going on, Howzer turned 45 to make sure her attack did nothing but scratch his pain work. Frowning at his defence she changed to her Death Makers and burst forward crossing paths with Thorns as the both came along sides different angles of Howzer to attack from each side.

"Puny insects!" Howzer roared as he swung at Thornz causing the human to latch on to his arm once again and hold on. Scarlet taking her chance, rolled under the stomping foot of her enemy landing a few shots against his back causing him to reflexively swing the Arm trying to fight off Thornz with to come back. As his arm struck her, Thronz leapt off landing on Howzer's left shoulder as her fired a stream of shots to the side of his neck causing him to flinch slightly in pain before performing a back flip bicycle hitting the human into the air...

"Hyper Tornado Dance!" Blitza roared as he spun through the air right above Howzer's head as he aimed right for Thornz catching him after his spin ran out and flipping out of it. Setting Thornz on his feet, the pair quickly split up to attack Howzer again but this time he was ready.

"Guys MOVE!" Koji called out as Howzer reared his head back before blasting out fire like he was some sort of dangerous medieval dragon. Spraying across in front of him causing all the Guardians in the area to scatter, Thornz and Blitza both jumped out of the way using various techniques to air dash and move out of the way. Sen however was caught flatfooted her knuckles and switched to her Ank Dedda and braced the impact. After the attack was finished and her guard dissipating, she dropped to one knee in fatigue and slight dizziness as her systems over compensated for the attack. Howzer's jaw twisting into a metallic smirk as pushed his arms forward as more fire started to envelop in his hands.

"Sen!"

"No!"

"Someone help her!" Were the calls around her but she was completely unaware of what was going on.

"Prepare to meet your end..." He said to her, with nothing but amusement. As the giant fireball went off her systems finally caught up but by the time it happened she was starring directly at hit.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" And with that a huge explosion went off in the area blinding everyone around in the vicinity. The power of the blast blew open several windows as the glass shards rained on to the battle field as an eerie silence coved it like icing on a cake. As the smoke cleared, the blackened to, smoking figure of a human with his arms braced across his face to protect himself staggered then fell to the floor in literally, a smoking heap. Completely shell shocked at the self sacrifice in front of her, Sen slowly processed what was happening in her head and all possible retaliations. With her mind made up, her eyes died a very pale grey as she picked herself up.

"Scarlet, watch out!" Kyta shouted as Scarlet didn't see the oncoming mechanical beast was running into her shoulder first. Flipping forward she narrowly missed a shoulder plate to the side.

"ARGH!" Howzer bellowed as he momentarily impaled himself into the wall. Seeing that he was stuck for the moment, Noxia, with great agility ran along the brown Victorian walls with her shotgun in hand.

"..." With a muted battle cry she blasted his Nano-transer with a close range blast as she flipped off his back before giving him another and switched to her Grenade Launcher in midair and rolled backwards as she hit the floor. But as she was about to fire a tall silver streak ran right past her with her Axe in hand. With her eyes blank, Sen ran with her Axe ploughing through the ground dragging behind her.

"Wow..." Red's voice died at the way she was moving with the heavy weapon in hand as she skilfully jumped a slashed across her target several times with as much agility as she would be using a Saber. Jumping and dashing through the air gracefully, she nailed several strikes on him before he managed to put up a guard against her barrage of attack and the blade of the Ank Dedda embedded itself in his huge, armoured limb. Not reflexively moving in time, Howzer violently flailed his arm causing Sen to be thrown into the ground a split second later.

"SEN!" Red shouted as she ran at him her light Gizaha-Zashi drawn. As soon as she got within striking distance, she threw her feather like dagger through the air directly between Howzer's eyes but he caught it just before impact with snarl on his face.

"Wrench! How dare you!" He bellowed as he threw the dagger aside before chasing after the CAST.

"Spinning Break!" Koji roared in an attempt to trip him over but Howzer was well aware of his presence and picked up the generally small human making him drop his Huge Cutter. "Let go of me!" He shouted as he tried to pull from his grip.

"Errm...NO!" He roared as he slammed Koji into the ground, full force. It was enough to knock him out completely.

"KOJI!" Ryn cried as she ran to his aid.

"Ryn NO!" Blitza shouted as he chased after the small CAST and pushed her out of the way before Howzer's giant arm swung for the grab. Knocking her clear to the side, Blitza got caught in the enemy's incredibly strong grip and couldn't wrench himself out.

"Time to die fur ball!" He told him sickeningly as he began to wind his arm back.

"Tornado Dance!" Ryn flew at him as her Crea Doubles rotated at an incredible speed as she flew towards him but his pre-throw spin deflected her attack and then launched Blitza directly into the nearest plaza wall. Skidding to a halt, Ryn turned back to see the damage the overlord caused.

"Shit, what do I do now…?" A red flash flew past her as Red Ghost charged at the enemy with her Light Double Agito in hand. Inside her helmet, her optic systems locked on to his back as she kicked off the wall to get around him. Howzer looked up to see the Fighgunner aim her weapon towards him.

"Now where do you think you're going?" Through his distorted voice you could hear the smug tone he held as he ripped pieces of the stair rail off and threw it at the oncoming target. Red reacting as quickly as she could, she sliced through the obstacle but sacrificed her momentum in the process landing with a disappointed mute thud. Surrounded by the rest of the Guardians that were still standing, Howzer laughed manically as he looked upon who was left. Scarlet slowly took a step back as she looked through the scope of her Blackbull. However something was nagging at her…

"Red, I think something is wrong." Red turned to her before looking at Howzer.

"Yeah but I can't quite put my finger on it…" The crimson CAST was just about to move forward…

"Guys! He's A-Photon Reactor is going into overdrive, DISABLE HIM NOW!" Sen roared as she changed to her Kan Yu and charged at him. "MOVE!" Shocking the other guardians out of their daze, the rest of the squad adjusted their positions to be able to attack. The dark dictator smashed his hands into the ground and started to glow fierce amber.

"This is all she wrote fokes." And with a sickening smirk, his body pulsed before letting off a vicious shockwave. Scarlet looking on could only guard behind her weapon.

"Shit…"

-Just outside Howzer's Underground Mansion-

"So you ready to get involved?" Rayo asked her as they walked through the cave leading up to the Illuminous leader. The Newman coughed as some of the dust from the ground caught up her nose.

"As long as there isn't this much loose rubble, I think I'll be fine." Rayo only laughed as they go to the bridge in front of the building. "Is it safe?" Rayo just looked on and before for crouching down to ground level to get a closer look.

"Seems stable, can't see any inconsistencies with the photon energy flowing through it, however you might be able to sense it better than I can see it." The Acrotecher raised an eye brow.

"Really now?" Rayo nodded. It was hard to tell if he was joking or not with his helmet on.

"Really now." Kneeling down beside him, she placed her right palm on the photonic bridge and concentrated. Feeling the photon move against her hand like a constant circuit of electricity, she nodded to confirm that he was right.

"Yep, your eyes made the good call." She smiled in accomplishment.

"Thanks, I guess it's time we help sort this thing out." The CAST's Shigga Desta formed in his hands as he pulled back the pump device. Sierra only laughed as she hopped to her feet and summoned her light Vish Adac in her hand.

"Well It's now or never, I hope the others are ok in there." Rayo nodded.

"Yeah, I hope so too, come on lets help them out." With that Rayo took off into a sprint towards the mansion.

"Hey wait up! I want a piece of him too!"

-Inside the Mansion-

The huge master doors opened with a slow creek as the two members of the SFS slowly pushed them. Weapons armed they slowly took a step inside as they looked on at the carnage that had ensued. Throwing the doors open, the Acrotecher looked on at her CAST partner.

"He's not in the main plaza, the coast is clear." With that Rayo appeared beside her with his weapon aimed.

"I can't see anything but…EUGY!" With that the CAST took off from her side.

"Wait Rayo this might be a trap!" She looked around quickly and spotted more of the team before scattered around the plaza. "Shit! What happened to everyone?" The Newman quickly ran over to Karen who was out by the stairs.

"Maiden…Maiden can you hear me…" Only a few loose mumbles left her mouth as her body continued to be limp in her arms. "Ray, this isn't good. I'm going to try to revive her." Shuffling through her TECHNICs, she applied one to her Coni and began to cast. After realising after few attempts at performing the spell that her Coni wasn't responding she looked through her Nano-transer interface to see what was wrong.

"Sierra I think we have a bit of a problem…" Sierra only sighed.

"Let me guess, your Moons aren't working?" He looked back at her with an expression of bewilderment (Even though she couldn't see it).

"How did you know?" Sierra laid the Divine Maiden on the ground gently and ran over Rayo who was now inspecting Scarlet.

"Given the current condition of everyone and the situation were in you would think that was obvious." The CAST only shook his head. "…That and my support techs aren't working."

"Well that sucks. In the mean time everyone is in pretty bad shape and won't make it unless we do something. Hell even Blitza got it." Rayo pointed towards wards the beast that was imprinted into the wall. Regardless of the situation at hand Sierra snickered before getting a weird look from Rayo.

"Sorry."

"So, do you know what's up with the no interactions between Transers?" Sierra looked around quickly.

"No, but I'm guessing something is interfering with them, whatever the source, we need to deactivate it." Rayo nodded with her idea and stood up. "Let's try looking upstairs, something unusual is coming from there and I think it might be him." They were just about to take off up the stairs but the CAST heard some rustling within the plaza. Tapping the Newman on the shoulder he stopped her dead and signalled her to keep quiet as soon as she turned around. Nodding in agreement the two backtracked with their weapons forming in their hands. Figuring out the noise was coming from the between the space behind the stairs, they leaped out with their weapon aimed at the unknown target.

*Cough* "You're…not fooling anyone…" The battered figure said. The pair gasped as they looked closer to see Scejntynahl holding an equally injured human male appearing to be Hand of Thornz.

"What happened to you guys?" Despite her situation, a small smile formed on her lips as she coughed up a small amount of synthetic blood.

"Well Howzer got the better of us…" She coughed again. "…Maybe it was the over confidence in numbers…" Rayo nodded.

"Yeah, by the way did you figure out what's causing all this interference with the Nano-Transformers?" The female CAST nodded slowly..

"Yeah…*cough*…He's own nano-transformer is the source. Disable that and the rest of us can join you." Sierra frowned.

"It's one of those 'easier said than done' things right?" The CAST nodded again slowly then looked away.

"May the holy light be with you."

"Right Sie, we've got to get moving, let's go." With that Rayo got up and jetted up the stairs. Sierra took one more look at Sen before going up after him…

…

…

…


	20. EP 4: Ch 4: For a Brighter Day

Ambition of the Illuminous: Lands of War

Episode 4: The Moonlight Shade

Chapter 4: For a Brighter Day

The two Guardians stopped at the large set of doors where they could feel a presence of someone strong. Giving each other a swift nod they kicked down the doors to see a man sitting down in his chair idly like he's been waiting. He's stoic face turned into a vicious smirk as he got up.

Howzer walked slowly around his desk to meet the two Guardians opposing him...

"My children are contaminating the system, choking the flow of life and destroying the land and structure of what once was. After what you see lying around you, you seriously think that you can defeat me?" A small smirk appeared on his wrinkled features. He took a few steps towards the two Guardians that forced them to raise their weapons.

"What do you have to prove Howzer?" Rayokarna said while slamming his Axe into the ground emphasising his anger. This made the smile on Howzer's face bigger.

"You seriously think that someone like you can over throw me?" Sierra almost crushed the holder for her whip in her iron grip and took a step forward.

"I will never give your dead carcass a second look once I decapitate that head from it and hang it in my room. I will never forgive you for almost making me kill my best friend after all we have been through." Sierra said in a dark tone narrowing her eyes in a deathly glow of vivid anger. Howzer slowly approached them causing Rayo and Sierra to back up a bit.

"Your time of judgment is here. There is no support for you, no help from allies, just skill and your desire for survival." Howzer raised his right arm in a stopping action but yet nothing happened then Sierra's eyes widen in realisation.

"Rayo! Take Cover!" Sierra tried to jump back but it was too late. The unstable wave of unstable nuclear photonic energy hit both her and her partner knocking them off their feet and throwing them a few metres from where they were standing. Sierra looked to her partner to see that he was pinned slightly to the floor due to the weight of his weapon. Sierra struggled to move as her body didn't respond to her command. Howzer was pacing slowly at an extremely dangerous rate.

"Shit..." Was the only thing Sierra could say in her defence. Howzer was only inches away from her prone body and placed his hand millimetres from her face.

"Time to take back what's mine..." Rayo tried to move but could only scream her name.

"Sierra!"

"Sierra!"

"Sierra!" Sierra's eyes flew open as adrenaline instantly pumped through her body to snap her out of her daze. Kicking away from him she rolled backwards and use swung her whip around so the photon rope hooked around Rayo's arm and with one great tug she pulled him back on to his feet to have him right next to her.

"Thanks for that." He said quickly as he regained his balance.

"Don't mention it."

"It seems my project and her little friend still have some fight left in them." Rayo backed up a little and took a defensive stance.

"He doesn't look so bad…" Sierra took one of her own.

"You're scared shitless aren't you…"

"Yep."

"Alright, let the final performance begin…" With that a second shockwave was emited from him knocking them back through the door they came through. The attack had enough force to send them down the stairs. Thinking on his feet, Rayo hooked his arms around Sierra and flipped himself and his partner around so he landed on his feet with Sierra in his arms.

"That's a fast payback system you have." She thanked quickly as he set her down on her feet.

"Yeah I know, it's just one of those days." Hearing loud footsteps from above, the two looked up to see a transformed Howzer leap at them. They just about had enough time to roll out of the way as he came down with crushing force.

"I see you've picked the same graveyard as your pathetic friends. Be careful not to trend on them." His smile made them cringe a little.

"Right here is the plan, I'll distract him, and you go for his Nano-Transer." Rayo just looked at her.

"What?"

"And go!"

"Wait Sierra…" But she was already in his face with her light Blackheart drawn. Taking the fight to the tyrant, She leapt and dodge over and through his frenzied swipes as she landed the occasional blow to his legs or body. Rayo watched on as he devised a plan to deactivate the device on his back. "It's gonna take a lot of force to kill that thing or even damage it…" He quickly scanned anything around him then and then locked eyes on the balcony on the floor above them.

With narrowing eyes "That might just work. Thanks for the inspiration Blitza…"

"Why do you choose to rebel knowing that you stand no chance?" Sierra skidded back and charge at him again. Leaping at him, her slash connected with his chest causing him to flinch.

"It's because I hate you basically." Jumping at him again, her stab was blocked by his forearm. Seeing this as his chance, he reared his arms back and then let loose a barrage of foie blasts in her direction. She quickly casted Regrants to absorb the fireballs while avoiding damage.

"You silly girl, you cannot deny me victory." Sierra tensed as she was forced back slightly from the power of his attacks.

"This is far from over…" She wheezed as she was forced back a little more. Howzer's laugh could be heard over the roar of the two attacks.

"We'll see how long you can keep this up." Sierra growled when she pushed more pure power into her spell. She was slowly getting fatigued because of her spell and Regrant's side effect however she couldn't break it while it was still going. "Where do you think you're going?" Suddenly Howzer's attacks stopped as it seems Rayo got his attention instead.

"Now's my chance." She whispered as she used a quick trimate then charged at her distracted target. Meanwhile Rayo was knocked off his feet by the power of one of Howzer's swings even though he blocked and was now crawling up the stairs backwards. Putting all the weight behind her thrust she embedded her saber into the side of Howzer making him howl in pain.

"Thanks Sierra as always." He mumbled as he scampered back on to his feet and bolted up the stairs.

"How dare you!" He roared as he spun around sending Sierra on to her back before she rolled back on to her feet. Taking no chanced with a Dimate, she ran back in and summed her ground Blackheart instead.

"This day will not continue you with you alive, I can guarantee you that" She called at the dictator.

With Rayo, he stumbled out of sight as he ran along the balcony of the second floor with heads up view of the battle below him.

"Right, I have to make sure it's within a decent distance of him…" Switching to his Ank Zagza, he quickly calculated the distance that he could leap down with maximum force. "Ah here!" He looked down to see if any of his fallen team members were there before he kicked a part of the railing away so he could have the edge.

"I only have one chance at this to get it right." He switched Photon Arts on his axe and got himself ready. Taking one more look below he could see that Sierra has latched on to his shoulder with the use of her saber causing him to flail in place. "Perfect…" Rearing his axe back, his back arched and his stance dropped when his knees bent. "Anga…"

Just as Sierra was wrestling with the grip on her saber to hang one she saw something leap from the corner from her eye. "JABROGA!" Suddenly, she ripped her saber from out of him and rolled away. Split between two different targets Howzer first looked at the CAST flying through the air then his attention turned to the Newman getting out of the way and then back to the CAST…

IMPACT

Rayo firmly embedded the key like blade of his axe into the Nano-Transformer section on his back with incredible force. The attack resulted in a photonic shock wave which pulsed throughout the entire complex. As Rayo flipped off him and retreated back to Sierra's side, he looked at the Newman to see that she had a look of a weight has been lifted off her shoulders.

"Did that do the trick?" The Acrotecher nodded. She casted a quick Resta spell as he embraced the light based photons healed any wounds he had. "I guess it did."

"Right, I'm going to revive everyone, can you keep him busy?" Rayo nodded, he would be pretty pissed off right now and he was scared but she had a job to do.

"Yeah you can count on me." She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the side of the helmet.

"Don't die on me." With a quick Shifta and Deband to protect him, she was off to help get everyone back on their feet. Rayo slowly advanced to the giant SEED-mech Howzer while he was on his knees holding his back in pain.

"So, where were we?" Howzer's voice had nothing but deep, dark hatred left.

"I will take you apart with every bit hatred for this world I have for this world. I hope you understand the fate you have resigned yourself to." Rayo just looked on as he switched weapons to his Crimson and Viper.

"You don't decide my fate, but you're more than willing to try." The tyrant slowly stood up as his body tensed.

"I don't intend on trying you simple computer." Rayo pointed his handgun to Howzer's head.

"Simple computer or not, your game ends here, this truly is your last performance." He laughed before getting ready to charge. Rayo clutched his handgun in a tighter grip and fired at him as soon as the former terrorist leader charged. Star shaped photon bullets bounced and ricocheted off his body as he came towards him. Side stepping the first shoulder tackle, Rayo slash across catching him in the arm. Howzer jumped back on reaction and threw a punch which Rayo barely avoided.

"You will not win!" The roar didn't faze Rayo as ducked under a punch and countered with an upward slash. However he was just a little too slow in moving back as Howzer's left arm came flailing across and knocked him off his feet and to the ground. Flipping himself over, he was welcomed with Howzer's forearm once again coming across him. Trying to deflect the attack with his saber, the clash of attack and defence was quickly finished as Howzer was still able to overpower him and knocked the saber clean out of his hand.

"Crap…" Looking at his weapon slide across the ground for a second took his eye of the tyrant as he rammed him to the ground. Shaking off the wave of dizziness, he tried to get up but sees an amused Howzer looming over him.

"Well so much for you then…" He clicked his enormous knuckles audibly and smirked wickedly. Rayo was about to panic until he saw a welcome sigh just beyond Howzer's shoulder.

"I should say the same thing to you." His actions stopped in confusion.

"Grenade him down!" Several volleys of photonic bombs struck Howzer in the back causing him to stagger forward.

"What on Gurhal's name?" He turned around with Sierra pointing towards Howzer with the Foretgunners and Protransers armed with Grenade Launchers aimed directly at him.

"Fire at will!" A barrage of photonic shells rained down as Rayo rolled back to avoid assault. As he stumbled back Chiyoko and Blitza looking like they had a full recovery caught his arms and pulled him up.

"Let us take it from here." Blitza told him as he cracked his knuckles and nodded towards the female beast. With a burst of light, the two beasts transformed and advanced on their target. While Howzer was taking a beating from the covering fire, Chiyoko while using Adaka Val punched the former terrorist leader to the ground with an earth moving impact. As soon as he the ground, Blitza using the same Nanoblast form leapt into the air with his only goal of crushing Howzer with his pure size and body mass.

"Guys, do something now!" The CASTs that were in the group all surrounded the floored Howzer and raised their arms.

"Don't you plan on joining in Rayo?" Scarlet asked while winking. Almost hesitantly the male CAST raised his arms. The familiar feeling of connecting to the out of space server to use the CAST race trump card flowed through him. The energy was almost too much as every circuit in his body came alight as the sky turned blue, getting ready for the incoming attack.

"Paradi..." The CASTs chanted the ground began to rumble. Howzer struggled to move as his damaged left arm reached out.

"I will not be denied..."

"Cateract!" Then suddenly the waves of energy rained from the sky impaling the dying tyrant multiple times. He screamed in anguish as his body gave way to the pressure of the attack. Try as he might, he attempted to move but the attack stayed resilient, practically nailing his body to the ground. After the seemingly endless beams dissipated and resided, the body of the enemy began to quake.

"Shit, what's happening?" Blitza blurted as the floor of the mansion started to follow sporadic shakes of Howzer.

"I think he's going to self destruct." Scarlet only sighed.

"This is so fucking typical."

"Alright everyone, let's get out of here!" Karen ordered as the members of the team started to bolt for the door.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Ethan mumbled as he took the Maiden's hand in his and ran. The extended group left the mansion in a hurry, as the insides of their battleground started to crumble Just as he headed through the door; Rayo looked back at the seemly dead corpse and sighed.

"Oh how very different it could have been..."

"Come on X, get going!" Sierra's shout of panic quickly Snapped X from whatever he was thinking causing him to follow the others. Finally at the safe end of the bridge, the group let out a collected breath of relief.

"Thank the Maiden that is..." In the background other squads of the Guardians came into view from the cavern entrance.

"We're over here!" Laia shouted as she waved her arms in the air to signal what seemed to be the recovery team.

"President Laia, sorry for the delay, there was difficulty getting the teams down the canal."Laia nodded but was pleased.

"Good work for getting here, once the tremors have stopped, get the investigation teams to find anything from the rubble, Recover Howzer's body if you can" The human general saluted.

"Yes President! Men, get yourselves ready!" With that he left with another set of Guardians to wait by the entrance of the bridge.

A couple of metres away, Rayokarna with Sierra, Eugenic and Blitza sat down by the wall to catch their breath.

"Ray?" The CAST unclipped his helmet and threw it to the side.

"Hmm?" Blitza raised an eye brow.

"We're not doing this again unless you and Sie are in." Rayo looked at him questionably.

"We're doing this again?" His sarcastic comment caused Blitza to laugh and Sierra to giggle.

"Fair enough."

"So, what do we do from here?" Eugy asked.

"Business as usual I guess." Sierra answered as she looked to the sky.

"I'm going to do a bit more time then gonna work as a mechanic after." Blitza shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm retiring."

"Seriously?"

"Yup." Blitza only laughed at his friend's decision, which is typical of him.

"Well I don't blame you, you quitting as of right now?" Rayokarna then huffed as he goot up and started to walk towards the teams bring briefed by Laia.

"No, got too much paper work to do." With that the team burst out laughing.

...

...

...


End file.
